“Good. We’ll go into my room.” He led the way, and Jane was at once aware of the effect of his cordial manner upon the fish who had been swimming in and out of the aquarium. Between the time of Frederick’s entrance and the moment when he closed the door upon them, they seemed to hang suspended. She supposed that after that they swam again.
If the outer room had resembled an aquarium, Frederick’s was like a forest—there was a plant or two and more green paper—the shine of old mahogany—and in one of the shadowy corners a bronze elephant.
Jane was thrilled by a sense of things happening. Outwardly calm, she was inwardly stirred by excitement.
She sat in a big leather chair which nearly swallowed her up, and stated her errand.
“Baldy thought I’d better come, he’s so busy, and anyhow he thinks I have more tact.” She tilted her chin at him and smiled.
“And you thought it needed tact.”
“Well, don’t you, Mr. Towne? We really haven’t a thing to do with it, and I’m sure you think so. Only now we’re in it, we want to do the best we can.”
“I see. Since Edith has chosen you and your brother as ambassadors, you’ve got to use diplomacy.”
“She didn’t choose me, she chose Baldy.”
“But why can’t she deal directly with me?”