“Yes, Philip said he heard that Mr. Farnsworth took Patty over to the hotel where that actress was staying, to talk the matter over. And he says that Patty herself said that Bill said she was good-looking enough to go on the stage! Fancy!”
“It’s an outrage! That whole stage business makes my blood boil!” and Mrs. Van Reypen’s very bonnet strings shook in righteous indignation. “That’s what you get for letting her associate with a man like that.”
“Oh, come now,” said Mr. Fairfield, “Farnsworth is a good sort. I think he’s very much of a man.”
“A fine type of a man to try to get a nice girl like Patty to become a common actress!” The aristocratic visitor’s face expressed the deepest scorn of the theatrical profession as a whole. “But she’s all over that, isn’t she?”
“Yes, thank goodness!” answered Nan. “Well, all I can see to do, is, to incline Patty toward Philip in any subtle way we can. Praise him to her, judiciously, not too much. Compare him favourably with other men, especially Mr. Farnsworth, for I’m not sure that Patty doesn’t like him quite a little. Then let Philip come here often and we will make him very welcome, and the rest I think he will have to accomplish himself.”
“You have expressed it very well, Mrs. Fairfield,” and the visitor rose to go. “And I’m sure other ways and means will suggest themselves to you as time goes on. If you would sometimes ask him to dinner quite en famille, I will do the same by Patty. Such things,—letting them be alone together of an evening now and then,—will do wonders.”
And so the plans were made, and the schemers, who were all actuated by an honest desire for Patty’s happiness, began to watch for opportunities.
As Mrs. Van Reypen had surmised, in her wise, canny mind, there were ways, unobtrusive and delicate, by which the two young people could be thrown together more frequently and none of these was neglected. Nothing insistent or noticeable was ever attempted, but after a time, Patty found herself relying on Philip’s advice and judgment, and unconsciously referring questions to him for settlement.
Mrs. Van Reypen and the elder Fairfields noted this approvingly, and the whole circle of young people came gradually to look on Philip as Patty’s special property.