“It’s you are the goose, Lily.”

“But he’s in there certainly, unless he has gone out through the window, or up the chimney.”

“What made you leave them?”

“He met me here, in the passage, and spoke to me ever so seriously.  ‘Come in,’ I said, ‘and see Bell packing the pokers and tongs.’  ’I will go in,’ he said, ‘but don’t come with me.’  He was ever so serious, and I’m sure he had been thinking of it all the way along.”

“And why should he not be serious?”

“Oh, no, of course he ought to be serious; but are you not glad, mamma?  I am so glad.  We shall live alone together, you and I; but she will be so close to us!  My belief is that he’ll stay there for ever unless somebody does something.  I have been so tired of waiting and looking out for you.  Perhaps he’s helping her to pack the things.  Don’t you think we might go in; or would it be ill-natured?”

“Lily, don’t be in too great a hurry to say anything.  You may be mistaken, you know; and there’s many a slip between the cup and the lip.”

“Yes, mamma, there is,” said Lily, putting her hand inside her mother’s arm, “that’s true enough.”

“Oh, my darling, forgive me,” said the mother, suddenly remembering that the use of the old proverb at the present moment had been almost cruel.

“Do not mind it,” said Lily, “it does not hurt me, it does me good; that is to say, when there is nobody by except yourself.  But, with God’s help, there shall be no slip here, and she shall be happy.  It is all the difference between one thing done in a hurry, and another done with much thinking.  But they’ll remain there for ever if we don’t go in.  Come, mamma, you open the door.”

Then Mrs Dale did open the door, giving some little premonitory notice with the handle, so that the couple inside might be warned of approaching footsteps.  Crofts had not escaped, either through the window or up the chimney, but was seated in the middle of the room on an empty box, just opposite to Bell, who was seated upon the lump of carpeting.  Bell still wore the checked apron as described by her sister.  What might have been the state of her hands I will not pretend to say; but I do not believe that her lover had found anything amiss with them.  “How do you do, doctor?” said Mrs Dale, striving to use her accustomed voice, and to look as though there were nothing of special importance in his visit.  “I have just come down from the Great House.”

“Mamma,” said Bell, jumping up, “you must not call him doctor any more.”

“Must I not?  Has any one undoctored him?”

“Oh, mamma, you understand,” said Bell.

“I understand,” said Lily, going up to the doctor, and giving him her cheek to kiss, “he is to be my brother, and I mean to claim him as such from this moment.  I expect him to do everything for us, and not to call a moment of his time his own.”

“Mrs Dale,” said the doctor, “Bell has consented that it shall be so, if you will consent.”