No. It was because of a certain furtiveness on Cosimo's part. Evidently he wished to "take action" (if she might use the expression without being guilty of a vulgarized meaning) without having made his formal announcement. That she had come upon them so far from The Witan was evidence of this. They had deliberately chosen a part of the Heath they had thought it unlikely Amory would visit. They could have done—whatever they were doing—under her eyes had they wished, but they had stolen off together instead. It was a breach of the understanding.
Before they had seen her, she left the path, struck across the grass behind them, and turned her face homewards. She was far, far too proud to look back. Certainly it was his duty to have let her know. Never mind. Since he hadn't....
Yet the tingling persisted, coming and going in quite pleasurable little shocks. Then all at once she found herself wondering how far Cosimo and Britomart had gone, or would go. Not that it was any business of hers. She was not her husband's keeper. It would be futile to try to keep somebody who evidently didn't want to be kept. It would also take away the curious subtle pleasure of that thrill.
She was not conscious that she quickened the steps that took her to the studio, where by this time Edgar Strong probably awaited her.
Most decidedly Cosimo ought to have given her warning——
As for Britomart Belchamber—sly creature—no doubt she had persuaded him to slink away like that——
Well, there would be time enough to deal with her by and bye——
Amory reached The Witan again.
As she entered the hall a maid was coming out of the dining-room. Amory called her.
"Has Mr. Strong been in?"