“Dr Crofts is going to marry Bell Dale,” said Mary; and then the conversation was turned from the subject of Lady Julia’s perfections, and the awe inspired by the earl.

“Crofts going to marry Bell!” exclaimed Eames, thinking almost with dismay of the doctor’s luck in thus getting himself accepted all at once, while he had been suing with the constancy almost of a Jacob.

“Yes,” said Mary; “and they say that she has refused her cousin Bernard, and that, therefore, the squire is taking away the house from them.  You know they’re all coming into Guestwick.”

“Yes, I know they are.  But I don’t believe that the squire is taking away the house.”

“Why should they come then?  Why should they give up such a charming place as that?”

“Rent-free!” said Mrs Eames.

“I don’t know why they should come away; but I can’t believe the squire is turning them out; at any rate not for that reason.”  The squire was prepared to advocate John’s suit, and therefore John was bound to do battle on the squire’s behalf.

“He is a very stern man,” said Mrs Eames, “and they say that since that affair of poor Lily’s he has been more cross than ever with them.  As far as I know, it was not Lily’s fault.”

“Poor Lily!” said Mary.  “I do pity her.  If I was her I should hardly know how to show my face; I shouldn’t, indeed.”

“And why shouldn’t she show her face?” said John, in an angry tone.  “What has she done to be ashamed of?  Show her face indeed!  I cannot understand the spite which one woman will sometimes have to another.”

“There is no spite, John; and it’s very wrong of you to say so,” said Mary, defending herself.  “But it is a very unpleasant thing for a girl to be jilted.  All the world knows that she was engaged to him.”

“And all the world knows—­” But he would not proceed to declare that all the world knew that also Crosbie had been well thrashed for his baseness.  It would not become him to mention that, even before his mother and sister.  All the world did know it; all the world that cared to know anything of the matter,—­except Lily Dale herself.  Nobody had ever yet told Lily Dale of that occurrence at the Paddington Railway Station, and it was well for John that her friends and his had been so discreet.

“Oh, of course you are her champion,” said Mary.  “And I didn’t mean to say anything unkind.  Indeed I didn’t.  Of course it was a misfortune.”

“I think it was the best piece of good fortune that could have happened to her, not to marry a d——­ scoundrel like—­”

“Oh, John!” exclaimed Mrs Eames.

“I beg your pardon, mother.  But it isn’t swearing to call such a man as that a d——­ scoundrel.”  And he particularly emphasised the naughty word, thinking that thereby he would add to its import, and take away from its naughtiness.  “But we won’t talk any more about him.  I hate the man’s very name.  I hated him the first moment that I saw him, and knew that he was a blackguard from his look.  And I don’t believe a word about the squire having been cross to them.  Indeed I know he has been the reverse of cross.  So Bell is going to marry Dr Crofts!”