“If you and she understand each other,” said the squire, “that will be sufficient.  Shall we go into the drawing-room now, or out upon the lawn?”

That evening, as Crosbie went to bed, he felt that he had not gained the victory in his encounter with the squire.

CHAPTER VIII

It Cannot Be

On the following morning at breakfast each of the three gentlemen at the Great House received a little note on pink paper, nominally from Mrs Dale, asking them to drink tea at the Small House on that day week.  At the bottom of the note which Lily had written for Mr Crosbie was added:  “Dancing on the lawn, if we can get anybody to stand up.  Of course you must come, whether you like it or not.  And Bernard also.  Do your possible to talk my uncle into coming.”  And this note did something towards re-creating good-humour among them at the breakfast-table.  It was shown to the squire, and at last he was brought to say that he would perhaps go to Mrs Dale’s little evening-party.

It may be well to explain that this promised entertainment had been originated with no special view to the pleasure of Mr Crosbie, but altogether on behalf of poor Johnny Eames.  What was to be done in that matter?  This question had been fully discussed between Mrs Dale and Bell, and they had come to the conclusion that it would best to ask Johnny over to a little friendly gathering, in which he might be able to meet Lily with some strangers around them.  In this way his embarrassment might be overcome.  It would never do, as Mrs Dale said, that he should be suffered to stay away, unnoticed by them.  “When the ice is once broken he won’t mind it,” said Bell.  And, therefore, early in the day, a messenger was sent over to Guestwick, who returned with a note from Mrs Eames, saying that she would come on the evening in question, with her son and daughter.  They would keep the fly and get back to Guestwick the same evening.  This was added, as an offer had been made of beds for Mrs Eames and Mary.

Before the evening of the party another memorable occurrence had taken place at Allington, which must be described, in order that the feelings of the different people on that evening may be understood.  The squire had given his nephew to understand that he wished to have that matter settled as to his niece Bell; and as Bernard’s views were altogether in accordance with the squire’s, he resolved to comply with his uncle’s wishes.  The project with him was not a new thing.  He did love his cousin quite sufficiently for purposes of matrimony, and was minded that it would be a good thing for him to marry.  He could not marry without money, but this marriage would give him an income without the trouble of intricate settlements, or the interference of lawyers hostile to his own interests.  It was possible that he might do better; but then it was possible also that he might do much worse; and, in addition to this,