XI
By a curious coincidence Edith Stevens' "morning constitutional" took her in the direction of the "Hamilton," and by another coincidence, equally curious, she met Thatcher, Cosden, and her brother as they emerged from the hotel after their conference with Duncan. Cosden was still in an elated mental condition as a result of the fact that he had again placed himself within the control of his master passion. Even though Thatcher spoke of the enterprise as "small," it was an opening wedge, and Cosden knew how to make the most of an opening.
The visit to Bermuda had already taught him that he was engaging in a game of which he did not know even the first rudiments. It had seemed easy enough to him when he first undertook it, but the experience of these few days had undeceived him. When in the past he had wanted anything, he simply played the game until he won out; now he saw that in spite of his claim that marriage firmly rested upon basic business principles, there was a certain hiatus which could not be filled in by the education derived from every-day business routine in a counting-room. He had met no discouragements as yet, but he was making no beginning, and that of course was retrogression.
As he saw Miss Stevens approaching Cosden was seized with one of those inspirations which had made his business career so signal a success. It was stupid of him not to have thought of it before! Whenever he wanted advice upon factory management he employed the best expert he could secure; now that he required specialized service in the matter of approaching Miss Thatcher upon the delicate subject he had in mind, why should he not employ the same method? Every woman was by nature a specialist in affairs of this kind, and from what he had already seen of Miss Stevens he believed he could scarcely have selected one better fitted to act in the capacity suggested.
It was easy enough to manœuver matters so that he should walk back with her to the "Princess," especially as she seemed unconsciously to fall in with his plans by addressing her greeting particularly to him. Cosden's response was so cordial and his pleasure in seeing her so sincere that Edith was thoroughly mystified. Previously he had seemed preoccupied, and appeared to endure her companionship rather than seek it; now he threw aside his indifference and met her as a comrade. An instant understanding flashed across her mind: Huntington had hinted that his friend had suddenly developed interesting tendencies, and had said plainly that the objective was either Merry Thatcher or herself. Could it be that—well, perhaps it would not be necessary to use force after all! Then, as a result of that curious feminine paradox, her next thought was contradictory: "If he is really interested in me then I shall lose interest in him." Still, the game was worth playing out.
They turned in at the little shaded lane which offers a short cut to the hotel, but instead of entering the hallway Cosden stopped and indicated the steps leading down to the tennis-courts.
"Would you mind having a very personal conversation with me down there?" he asked with so much significance in his voice that Edith became almost agitated.
"I'd love to sit down for a moment," she assented. "I've been walking so long that I could take that bench in my arms and hug it."