Pen who had gone to roost, old
Pendennis returned to the charge and rated Warrington for refusing
to join in their excursion. "Isn't it ungallant, Miss Bell?" he said,
turning to that young lady. "Isn't it unfriendly? Here we have been the
happiest party in the world, and this odious selfish creature breaks it
up!"

Miss Bell's long eyelashes looked down towards her teacup: and
Warrington blushed hugely but did not speak. Neither did Miss Bell
speak: but when he blushed she blushed too.

"You ask him to come, my dear," said the benevolent old gentleman, "and
then perhaps he will listen to you----"

"Why should Mr. Warrington listen to me?" asked the young lady, putting
the query to her teaspoon seemingly and not to the Major.

"Ask him; you have not asked him," said Pen's artless uncle.

"I should be very glad, indeed, if Mr. Warrington would come," remarked
Laura to the teaspoon.

"Would you?" said George.

She looked up and said, "Yes." Their eyes met. "I will go anywhere you
ask me, or do anything," said George, lowly, and forcing out the words
as if they gave him pain.

Old Pendennis was delighted; the affectionate old creature clapped his
hands and cried "Bravo! bravo! It's a bargain--a bargain, begad! Shake
hands on it, young people!" And Laura, with a look full of tender
brightness, put out her hand to Warrington. He took hers; his face
indicated a strange agitation. He seemed to be about to speak, when from
Pen's neighbouring room Helen entered, looking at them as the candle
which she held lighted her pale frightened face.

Laura blushed more red than ever and withdrew her hand.

"What is it?" Helen asked.

"It's a bargain we have been making, my dear creature," said the Major
in his most caressing voice. "We have just bound over Mr. Warrington in
a promise to come abroad with us."

"Indeed!" Helen said.

CHAPTER LVI. In which Fanny engages a new Medical Man

Could Helen have suspected that, with Pen's returning strength, his
unhappy partiality for little Fanny would also reawaken? Though she
never spoke a word regarding that young person, after her conversation
with the Major, and though, to all appearances, she utterly ignored
Fanny's existence, yet Mrs. Pendennis kept a particularly close watch
upon all Master Arthur's actions; on the plea of ill-health would
scarcely let him out of her sight; and was especially anxious that he
should be spared the trouble of all correspondence for t