On the very first day of his arrival he made his way over to Allington.  He did not walk on this occasion as he had used to do in the old happy days.  He had an idea that it might not be well for him to go into Mrs Dale’s drawing-room with the dust of the road on his boots, and the heat of the day on his brow.  So he borrowed a horse and rode over, taking some pride in a pair of spurs which he had bought in Piccadilly, and in his kid gloves, which were brought out new for the occasion.  Alas, alas!  I fear that those two years in London have not improved John Eames; and yet I have to acknowledge that John Eames is one of the heroes of my story.

On entering Mrs Dale’s drawing-room he found Mrs Dale and her eldest daughter.  Lily at the moment was not there, and as he shook hands with the other two, of course, he asked for her.

“She is only in the garden,” said Bell.  “She will be here directly.”

“She has walked across to the Great House with Mr Crosbie,” said Mrs Dale; “but she is not going to remain.  She will be so glad to see you, John!  We all expected you to-day.”

“Did you?” said Johnny, whose heart had been plunged into cold water at the mention of Mr Crosbie’s name.  He had been thinking of Lilian Dale ever since his friend had left him on the railway platform; and, as I beg to assure all ladies who may read my tale, the truth of his love for Lily had moulted no feather through that unholy liaison between him and Miss Roper.  I fear that I shall be disbelieved in this; but it was so.  His heart was and ever had been true to Lilian, although he had allowed himself to be talked into declarations of affection by such a creature as Amelia Roper.  He had been thinking of his meeting with Lily all the night and throughout the morning, and now he heard that she was walking alone about the gardens with a strange gentleman.  That Mr Crosbie was very grand and very fashionable he had heard, but he knew no more of him.  Why should Mr Crosbie be allowed to walk with Lily Dale?  And why should Mrs Dale mention the circumstance as though it were quite a thing of course?  Such mystery as there was in this was solved very quickly.

“I’m sure Lily won’t object to my telling such a dear friend as you what has happened,” said Mrs Dale.  “She is engaged to be married to Mr Crosbie.”

The water into which Johnny’s heart had been plunged now closed over his head and left him speechless.  Lily Dale was engaged to be married to Mr Crosbie!  He knew that he should have spoken when he heard the tidings.  He knew that the moments of silence as they passed by told his secret to the two women before him,—­that secret which it would now behove him to conceal from all the world.  But yet he could not speak.

“We are all very well pleased at the match,” said Mrs Dale, wishing to spare him.

“Nothing can be nicer than Mr Crosbie,” said Bell.  “We have often talked about you, and he will be so happy to know you.”