The meeting of four had been effected in one end of the wide garish space: among the loungers of the lobby, all eyes were turned in that direction. There were salutations; the introduction of Mr. Canning to Mrs. Heth; inquiries after Miss Heth's health. Quite easily the square party resolved itself into two conversational halves. Mrs. Heth, it was clear from the outset, preferred Willie Kerr's talk above any other obtainable at that time and place. She was, and remained, absolutely fascinated by it....
"It seems quite unnecessary," Mr. Canning was saying--but he pronounced it "unne's'ry"--"to ask if you are any the worse for the ducking...."
"Oh, no--I'm quite well, thank you. We've suffered nothing worse than the spoiling of all our plans in coming here!"
The man's look politely interrogated her. "Oh, really? I'm sorry."
"We came, you see, to be very quiet. And we were never so frightfully noisy in our lives."
He smiled; made his small distinguished bow.
"You've reason to feel annoyed on all scores then. At any rate, it's charming to find you as our fellow guest."
And his eyes flitted from her toward Kerr, and then turned briefly upon mamma, and her strange little downy mustache.
Carlisle now perceived the disinterestedness, if not the faint weariness, in Mr. Canning's manner; she saw that he had forgotten the five minutes at the Country Club. The strong probability was, moreover, that he thought the worse of her for allowing herself to be nearly drowned in so vulgarly public a way. However, she was untroubled; she thought him, for her part, adorable to look at and of a splendid manner and conceit; and aloud she inquired, with her air of shining indifference, if Mr. Canning was not delighted with the Beach in October.
"Well, you know, I think I've been here before"--he said bean, most deliciously--"only I can't be quite sure. It seems to me a most agreeable place. Only, if it isn't indiscreet to inquire, what does one do in the evening?"