XX

She saw him at the end of the terrace, peering through the moonlight, down the driveway.  She did not go forward to meet him, but waited until he turned in her direction.  She knew that at a distance, and especially at night, her own figure might seem not unlike Dorothea’s, and calculated on that effect.  She divined his start of astonishment on catching sight of her by the abrupt jerk of his head and the way in which he half threw up his hands.  When he began coming forward, it was with a slow, interrogative movement, as though he were asking how she had come there, in disregard of their preconcerted signals.  Some exclamation was already on his lips, when, by the light streaming from the windows of the hotel, he saw his mistake, and paused.

“Good-evening, Mr. Wappinger.  What an extraordinary meeting!”

Priding himself on his worldly wisdom, Carli Wappinger never allowed himself to be caught by any trick of feminine finesse.  On the present occasion he stood stock-still and silent, eying Diane as a bird eyes a trap before hopping into it.  Though he knew her as a friend to Dorothea and himself, he knew her as a subtle friend, hiding under her sympathy many of those kindly devices which experience keeps to foil the young.  He did not complain of her for that, finding it legitimate that she should avail herself of what he called “the stock in trade of a chaperon”; while it had often amused him to outwit her.  But now it was a matter of Greek meeting Greek, and she must be given to understand that he was the stronger.  How she had discovered their plans he did not stop to think; but he must make it plain to her that he was not duped into ascribing her presence at Lakefield to an accident.

“Is it an extraordinary meeting, Mrs. Eveleth—­for you?”

“No, not for me,” Diane replied, readily.  “I only thought it might be—­for you.”

“Then I’ll admit that it is.”

“But I hoped, too”, she continued, moving a little nearer to him, “that my coming might be in the way of a—­pleasant surprise.”

“Oh yes; certainly; very pleasant—­very pleasant indeed.”

“I’m a good deal relieved to hear you say that, Mr. Wappinger,” she said, “because there was a possibility that you mightn’t like it.”

“Whether I like it or not”, he said, warily, “will depend upon your motive.”

“I don’t think you’ll find any fault with that.  I came because I thought I could help Dorothea.  I hoped I might be able indirectly to help you, too.”

“What makes you think we’re in need of help?”

She came near enough for him to see her smile.

“Because, until after you’re married, you’ll both be in an embarrassing position.”

“There are worse things in the world than that.”

“Not many.  I can hardly imagine two people like Dorothea and yourself more awkwardly placed than you’ll be from the minute she arrives.  Remember, you’re not Strephon and Chloe in a pastoral; you’re two most sophisticated members of a most sophisticated set, who scarcely know how to walk about excepting according to the rules of a code of etiquette.  Neither of you was made for escapade, and I’m sure you don’t like it any more than she will.”