to escape being one of the
eight.

It was well to be civil in word and deed, and "bide my time," but to be
in at the death, and marry my sister to a man who'd stolen her from
Eagle March and ruined him, was a different thing. I drew the line at
that.

It's quite simple for a girl vowed to the conscientious life and no fibs
to wrench her ankle, if she'll wear high heels. All she has to do when
walking in the street is to look out for banana peel; or an apple paring
may do at a pinch. She launches herself upon it, with a skating
movement. Her foot turns, and the deed is done. She can in this way
produce a "strain," if not a "sprain"; and only doctors know the
difference. The difficult part comes in remembering to limp. I was so
fearful of forgetting in some moment of excitement, that I took to
wearing shoes which were not mates. They were actually incompatible. One
had a Louis Quinze heel and the other had none at all; but my dresses by
this time were so "grown up" and long that nobody noticed. Besides,
though refusing to see a doctor, I stopped in bed for days, and
hypnotically impressed the idea of a sprain on every one.

Those who didn't know why I wouldn't for the world be bridesmaid to
Diana sat by my bedside and sympathized, among others Mrs. Dalziel and
Milly, who had followed us in time to have all the season's fun in
London before the wedding. Tony hoped to get leave and arrive for "the
great day." Afterward he and his mother and sister planned a motor tour
through Belgium, and Luxemburg, and France, before the time when Tony
must rejoin his regiment. I had a sneaking idea that they meant me to
go, too; but at that moment--before other things had happened--I told
myself that I would do nothing of the kind. I was homesick for Ireland
and Ballyconal.

The date of Di's wedding wasn't definitely settled until after Sidney
came. Then it was fixed for the ninth of July, and the bride and
bridegroom were to have four weeks' motoring in the north of England.
When the honeymoon was officially over they were to make country-house
visits in Scotland for the shooting season. Sidney Vandyke boasted of
being a crack shot, and Diana hoped to be proud of her American husband
among British sportsmen.

Meanwhile they had some time before the wedding in which to find a town
house, and choose furniture and things so that they might be "at home"
in the autumn. I think Di really loved Sidney the day he consented to
buy a house