"I beg your pardon," she said with great meekness. "It really was Mr Ibbetson of whom I had thought, because he had already shown great interest--" She stopped. Bice finished the sentence very calmly. "In Clive, yes. He was very good to Clive. Very good indeed." Phillis was staring at her. "Clive! He didn't know Clive when he went to England. Don't you know that he went on purpose to see him? Has he never so much as told you? He went to see him, but he went on your account." While she spoke the girl's face had flushed a soft and delicate colour, but she still kept her eyes fixed upon Phillis. And when Phillis had ended she said:--"No, I don't know it, and I don't believe it. If Mr Ibbetson went on our account, it was because you asked him. Did you not ask him?" "I told him," Phillis said, a little bewildered at this view of the matter which had never before presented itself to her. Bice looked at her wistfully and smiled. "Yes, you told him. Are you blind, Phillis? Don't you see that the one thing which Mr Ibbetson cares about is to do something to please you?" It was Phillis's turn to colour, and she would have attempted some disclaimer, but that the rest of the party came back to the room, and Mrs Leyton made a prompt attack upon them. "You are disgracefully idle, you two! Come, acknowledge that I am the most consistent sight-seer of our party. However much I protest beforehand, when I am dragged to anything I _do_ it." "I did not imagine that you were ever dragged anywhere, Mrs Leyton," said Mr Penington, smiling. "I should have called you a very cheerful conductor. However, I agree with you that it would be a pity for Miss Grey to miss those Egyptian pictures. Won't you come and see them?" he said, addressing her. "Not now, thank you," said Phillis hurriedly. He looked disappointed, and she was sorry; but Bice's words were in her ears, she could scarcely think of anything else. Vague doubts had haunted her since her last interview with Jack; she had been really ashamed to own their presence to herself, but now to have them put into words by another brought a delicious thrill of happiness. "Well, good people," said Mrs Leyton, "if this is finished, will you be kind enough to inform me what we are to do with ourselves? It is so early in the day that hours upon hours remain on my conscience. Make a suggestion, everybody, please, and then we can choose." "I must go home," said Bice. "Suppose you come with me?" "Suppose we go and look at the Tiber?" suggested Mr Penington. "Do you know that there are serious fears of an inundation? At any rate I can assure you that it is worth seeing. The old stream swings along with a force absolutely amazing, and if you are not afraid of the rain, it would not take long to get as far as the Ripetta. There you would get a first-rate view." He addressed Mrs Leyton, but he looked at Phillis. Captain Leyton, who was peering into a picture, turned round briskly.