It was not until he rose to his feet that she realized his presence with a start.
'Dear me, is that you, Tony?
You frightened me! Don't get up; I know you must be tired.' This with a sweetly solicitous smile.
Tony smiled too and resumed his seat; it was the first time since morning that she had condescended to consider his feelings.

She sauntered over to the opposite side and stood with her back to him examining the view.

Tony turned his back and affected to be engaged with the view in the other direction; he too could play at indifference.
Constance finished with her view first, and crossing over, she seated herself in the deep embrasure of a window close beside Tony's parapet.

He rose again at her approach, but there was no eagerness in the motion; it was merely the necessary deference of a donkey-driver toward his employer.
'Oh, sit down,' she insisted, 'I want to talk to you.' He opened his eyes with a show of surprise; his hurt feelings insisted that all the advances should be on her part.

Constance seemed in no hurry to begin; she removed her hat, pushed back her hair, and sat playing with the bunch of edelweiss which was stuck in among the roses--flattening the petals, rearranging the flowers with careful fingers; a touch, it seemed to Tony's suddenly clamouring senses, that was almost a caress.