Dear Sir, - Although I have written this letter in story form, it is quite true, only the names being altered. Need I add that I take the part of "Teddy?"
It was just two days before that P. and O. boat had dumped me, bag and baggage, at Tilbury, and I was walking up and down the Strand bemoaning the fate that had sent me on leave in winter. Someone thumped me on the back, and a jovial voice baled greetings into my ear. I turned and found myself confronting Jerry Masters. Jerry and I had known each other long before I went to India, and soon we were in his club talking about old times.
"Are you doing anything for the next few days? asked Jerry.
"Why, no," I said, "I'm rather at a loose end."
"That's all right, then. You remember old Major Maitland? Well, he's giving a sort of 'welcome home' house party for his daughter, who has been to a French finishing school."
"What's the daughter like?" I asked with interest.
"I haven't seen her for three years; but even then, at I7, she was very pretty; an only child. When I met the Major a few days ago he told me to be prepared for a shock when I met Ann, his daughter, again, as the poor kid is a cripple now. She lost a leg just after she went to France. The old boy is still very upset, of course."
We talked on various subjects, then parted after I had promised to join the house party.
The following afternoon a taxi, with Jerry and I inside, stopped at the door of the major's old country mansion. The Major greeted us warmly, and after we had taken to our rooms and made ourselves presentable, our host took us to the big hall, where about twenty young people were gathered about a huge log fire. Jerry was welcomed enthusiastically, and I was introduced all round.
A thrill ran through me when I was introduced to Ann. She rose to shake hands, merely steadying herself by resting her left hand on the chimney-piece. I think she was pleased that I showed no curiosity as regards her one-leggedness.
Ann was wearing a long afternoon gown, and it wasn't until she sat down that her loss was noticeable.
My hostess and I got on well together from the first, and we talked on every subject in the world except her loss, until it was time to dress for dinner, and it was then that she referred to her condition.
"Would you hand me my crutches from the corner, please?" she asked. Then, with a gay little laugh, "Please, don't look so solemn," as I placed the dainty black crutches under her arms. "I've been like this for nearly two years now, so you see I'm quite used to it, and have quite got over being sensitive about my crutches."
With which she gracefully swung across the hall and up the stairs easily and effortlessly.
For dinner she wore a cream crinoline, from which her tiny foot, clad in a silver silk stocking and silver high-heeled shoe, peeped tantalisingly as she moved smoothly on a pair of very frail-looking white crutches. I sat next to her at dinner, and found myself more and more attracted to her.
After dinner we trooped into the big hall, and the Major left us to amuse ourselves. Ann herself put a dance record on the electric gramophone. Then, sitting down, she insisted that those who wished to could dance. I was near her, and with a roguish smile she asked:
"Care to dance with me, Teddy? I can, you know!"
I eagerly went to her and, rising on her single leg, swaying on her high heel, she clung to me for support. It was thrilling to feel her so utterly dependent on me for support as she stepped out with her single slim leg. We danced together the rest of the evening.
During the days that followed we were together a great deal, and I showed how attractive I found her, because once she said, with a crooked smile:
"Don't fall for me, Teddy; I am only a little cripple girl, you know."
I protested that I didn't think of her as such but, on the contrary, her single leg and crutches fascinated me.
Neither of us referred to her one-leggedness that day.
On the night previous to the guests' departure we were all going to appear in fancy dress. Ann would not say what hers was beyond saying that she would not be using her crutches, so I must meet her outside her room to help her downstairs.
At the appointed time I did so. She was dressed as a nymph, in a very brief tunic. Her arms and single leg were bare, so was the tiny pink foot.
She smiled at my obvious admiration. "Carry me," she said.
At the foot of the stairs she wiggled out of my arms and, amid murmurs of admiration, hopped swiftly over to her father where, clinging to his arm, she was the centre of admiring males, in spite of the fact that all the other girls were two-legged.
Dinner over, she took me to one side.
"I'm going to start a game of hide seek. I will hide in the secret passage I showed you." Then, calling the others, "Hide and seek, you folk, Girls hide first."
Out went the lights while the Major counted 100. Then up went the lights and the search began. I, of course, headed for the secret passage. I pressed a rose in the panelling, and a door opened; but I saw no Ann! But immediately below me "Teddy, help me; I'm down here!"
There, a few feet in front of me, was an open trap-door. I peered down. A ladder led down from the top. In less than a minute I was holding Ann in my arms.
"Are you hurt?" I asked.
"No, only shaken," she laughed, "I didn't know that trap was there!"
I carried her to her room, where I popped a certain vital question which, to my joy, she answered in the positive.
At supper the Major announced our engagement, and the wood nymph, poised on her little bare foot on a chair, was cheered by all her admirers, while I made sure she would not fall by holding her in the approved way.
Yours truly,
X.Y.Z.