ugh Lily would still laugh at her, saying that
Dr Crofts was her lover, she had long since taught herself that no
such feeling as that would ever exist between them.

"Shall I never say so, Bell? What if so poor a man as I ask for the
hand that you will not give to so rich a man as your cousin Bernard?"

She instantly withdrew her arm and moved back very quickly a step or
two across the rug. She did it almost with the motion which she might
have used had he insulted her; or had a man spoken such words who
would not, under any circumstances, have a right to speak them.

"Ah, yes! I thought it would be so," he said. "I may go now, and may
know that I have been turned out."

"What is it you mean, Dr Crofts? What is it you are saying? Why do
you talk that nonsense, trying to see if you can provoke me?"

"Yes; it is nonsense. I have no right to address you in that way, and
certainly should not have done it now that I am in your house in the
way of my profession. I beg your pardon." Now he also was standing,
but he had not moved from his side of the fireplace. "Are you going
to forgive me before I go?"

"Forgive you for what?" said she.

"For daring to love you; for having loved you almost as long as you
can remember; for loving you better than all beside. This alone you
should forgive; but will you forgive me for having told it?"

He had made her no offer, nor did she expect that he was about to
make one. She herself had hardly yet realised the meaning of his
words, and she certainly had asked herself no question as to the
answer which she should give to them. There are cases in which lovers
present themselves in so unmistakable a guise, that the first word
of open love uttered by them tells their whole story, and tells it
without the possibility of a surprise. And it is generally so when
the lover has not been an old friend, when even his acquaintance
has been of modern date. It had been so essentially in the case of
Crosbie and Lily Dale. When Crosbie came to Lily and made his offer,
he did it with perfect ease and thorough self-possession, for he
almost knew that it was expected. And Lily, though she had been
flurried for a moment, had her answer pat enough. She already loved
the man with all her heart, delighted in his presence, basked in
the sunshine of his manliness, rejoiced in his wit, and had tuned
her ears to the tone of his voice. It had all been done, and the
world expected it. Had he not made his offer,