a quarter
to ten
I was afraid if I gabbled as I longed to do , Father might take it into his head that the child had better stop at home . All I heard was a little talk about the time to start , and whether a taxi should be ordered or a coupé . I thought there would be rather a squash in a coupé with Father , Diana , and me folded together in a sort of living sandwich ; but I was so small , I could perhaps manage not to slide off the little flap seat with its back to the horses . It was a coupé they finally decided on , and it was ordered for a quarter to ten . We had a short and early dinner , and as I did Diana 's hair , it seemed to me that I had never seen her look prettier . I wondered whether Captain March would admire her very much , and I hoped for his own sake -- I almost believed it was for his own sake ! -- that he would n't fall in love .