ady Julia," she
said, "I don't think we'll mind stopping for lunch to-day."

"Nonsense, my dear; you promised."

"I think we must break our promise; I do indeed. You mustn't be
angry with us." And Lily looked at Lady Julia, as though there were
something which Lady Julia ought to understand, which she, Lily,
could not quite explain. I fear that Lily was false, and intended her
old friend to believe that she was running away because John Eames
had come there.

"But you will be famished," said Lady Julia.

"We shall live through it," said Lily.

"It is out of the question that I should let you walk all the way
here from Allington and all the way back without taking something."

"We shall just be home in time for lunch if we go now," said Lily.
"Will not that be best, Grace?"

Grace hardly knew what would be best. She only knew that Major
Grantly was at Allington, and that he had come thither to see her.
The idea of hurrying back after him was unpleasant to her, and yet
she was so flurried that she felt thankful to Lily for taking her
away from the cottage. The matter was compromised at last. They
remained for half an hour, and ate some biscuits and pretended to
drink a glass of wine, and then they started. John Eames, who in
truth believed that Lily Dale was running away from him, was by
no means well pleased, and when the girls were gone, did not make
himself so agreeable to his old friend as he should have done. "What
a fool I am to come here at all," he said, throwing himself into an
arm-chair as soon as the front door was closed.

"That's very civil to me, John!"

"You know what I mean, Lady Julia. I am a fool to come near her,
until I can do so without thinking more of her than I do of any other
girl in the county."

"I don't think you have anything to complain of as yet," said Lady
Julia, who had in some sort perceived that Lily's retreat had been on
Grace's account, and not on her own. "It seems to me that Lily was
very glad to see you, and when I told her that you were coming to
stay here, and would be near them for some days, she seemed to be
quite pleased;--she did indeed."

"Then why did she run away the moment I came in?" said Johnny.

"I think it was something you said about that man who has gone to
Allington."

"What difference can the man make to her? The truth is, I despise
myself;--I do indeed, Lady Julia. Only think of my meeting Crosbie at
dinner the other day, and his having the imper