The society they knew put them constantly together and approved.
Her people approved. Her own mind approved, and as her heart was not
apparently ever to be considered, who could say that it did not approve
as well? He was certainly a very charming fellow, a manly, clever
companion, and one who bore about him the evidences of distinction and
thorough breeding. As far as family went, the Kings were as old as a
young country could expect, and Reggie King was, moreover, in spite of
his wealth, a man of action and ability. His yacht journeyed from
continent to continent, and not merely up the Sound to Newport, and he
was as well known and welcome to the consuls along the coasts of Africa
and South America as he was at Cowes or Nice. His books of voyages
were recognized by geographical societies and other serious bodies, who
had given him permission to put long disarrangements of the alphabet
after his name. She liked him because she had grown to be at home with
him, because it was good to know that there was some one who would not
misunderstand her, and who, should she so indulge herself, would not
take advantage of any appeal she might make to his sympathy, who would
always be sure to do the tactful thing and the courteous thing, and
who, while he might never do a great thing, could not do an unkind one.

Miss Langham had entered the Porters' drawing-room after the greater
number of the guests had arrived, and she turned from her hostess to
listen to an old gentleman with a passion for golf, a passion in which
he had for a long time been endeavoring to interest her. She answered
him and his enthusiasm in kind, and with as much apparent interest as
she would have shown in a matter of state. It was her principle to be
all things to all men, whether they were great artists, great
diplomats, or great bores. If a man had been pleading with her to
leave the conservatory and run away with him, and another had come up
innocently and announced that it was his dance, she would have said:
"Oh, is it?" with as much apparent delight as though his coming had
been the one bright hope in her life.

She was growing enthusiastic over the delights of golf and
unconsciously making a very beautiful picture of herself in her
interest and forced vivacity, when she became conscious for the first
time of a strange young man who was standing alone before the fireplace
looking at her, and frankly listening to all the nonsense she was
talk