The only fortunate part was that Malcolm had found no opportunity to
remind me of my promise, whatever it was, and I felt safer.

Oh, that terrible morning! Much worse than when we were alone; nearly all
of them, about seven women beyond the family, began fancy-work.

One, a Lady Letitia Smith, was doing a crewel silk blotting-book that made
me quite bilious to look at, and she was very short-sighted, and had such
an irritating habit of asking every one to match her threads for her. They
knitted ties and stockings, and crocheted waistcoats and comforters and
hoods for the North Sea fishermen, and one even tatted. Just like
housemaids do in their spare hours to trim Heaven knows what garment of
unbleached calico.

I asked her what it was for, and she said for the children's pinafores in
her "guild" work. If one doesn't call that waste of time, I wonder what
is.

Mrs. Carruthers said it was much more useful to learn to sit still and not
fidget than to fill the world with rubbish like this.

Mary Mackintosh dominated the conversation. She and Lady Letitia Smith,
who have both small babies, revelled in nursery details, and then
whispered bits for us, the young girls not to hear. We caught scraps
though, and it sounded grewsome, whatever it was about. Oh, I do wonder
when I get married if I shall grow like them!

I hope not.

It is no wonder married men are obliged to say gallant things to other
people, if, when they get home, their wives are like that.

I tried to be agreeable to a lady who was next me. She was a Christian
Scientist, and wore glasses. She endeavored to convert me, but I was
abnormally thick-headed that day, and had to have things explained over
and over, so she gave it up at last.

Finally, when I felt I should do something desperate, a footman came to
say Lady Verningham wished to see me in her room, and I bounded up, but as
I got to the door I saw them beginning to shake their heads over her.

"Sad that dear Ianthe has such irregular habits of breakfasting in her
room; so bad for her," etc., etc. But, thank Heaven, I was soon outside in
the hall, where her maid was waiting for me.

One would hardly have recognized that it was a Montgomerie apartment, the
big room overlooking the porch, where she was located, so changed did its
aspect seem. She had numbers of photographs about, and the loveliest gold
toilet things, and lots of frilled garments, and flowers, and
scent-bottles; and her own pil