On that morning Lily had succeeded in inducing her sister to tell her all that had been said by Dr Crofts.  All that had been said by herself also, Bell had intended to tell; but when she came to this part of the story, her account was very lame.  “I don’t think I said anything,” she said.  “But silence always gives consent.  He’ll know that,” Lily had rejoined.  “No, he will not; my silence didn’t give any consent; I’m sure of that.  And he didn’t think that it did.”  “But you didn’t mean to refuse him?” “I think I did.  I don’t think I knew what I meant; and it was safer, therefore, to look no, than to look yes.  If I didn’t say it, I’m sure I looked it.”  “But you wouldn’t refuse him now?” asked Lily.  “I don’t know,” said Bell.  “It seems as though I should want years to make up my mind; and he won’t ask me again.”

Bell was still at her sister’s feet, caressing them, and praying with all her heart that that wound might be healed in due time, when Mrs Dale came in and announced the doctor’s daily visit.  “Then I’ll go,” said Bell.

“Indeed you won’t,” said Lily.  “He is coming simply to make a morning call, and nobody need run away.  Now, Dr Crofts, you need not come and stand over me with your watch, for I won’t let you touch my hand except to shake hands with me;” and then she held her hand out to him.  “And all you’ll know of my tongue you’ll learn from the sound.”

“I don’t care in the least for your tongue.”

“I dare say not, and yet you may some of these days.  I can speak out if I like it; can’t I, mamma?”

“I should think Dr Crofts knows that by this time, my dear.”

“I don’t know.  There are some things gentlemen are very slow to learn.  But you must sit down, Dr Crofts, and make yourself comfortable and polite; for you must understand that you are not master here any longer.  I am out of bed now, and your reign is over.”

“That’s the gratitude of the world, all through,” said Mrs Dale.

“Who is ever grateful to a doctor?  He only cures you that he may triumph over some other doctor, and declare, as he goes by Dr Gruffen’s door, ’There, had she called you in, she’d have been dead before now; or else would have been ill for twelve months.’  Don’t you jump for joy when Dr Gruffen’s patients die?”

“Of course I do—­out in the market-place, so that everybody shall see me,” said the doctor.

“Lily, how can you say such shocking things?” said her sister.

Then the doctor did sit down, and they were all very cosy together over the fire, talking about things which were not medical, or only half medical in their appliance.  By degrees the conversation came round to Mrs Eames and to John Eames.  Two or three days since, Crofts had told Mrs Dale of that affair at the railway station, of which up to that time she had heard nothing.  Mrs Dale, when she was assured that young Eames had given Crosbie a tremendous thrashing—­the tidings of the affair which had got themselves substantiated at Guestwick so described the nature of the encounter—­could not withhold some meed of applause.