He made up his mind at last that she was coming to establish Bertie in his lodgings before she went on her own way. He offered any help in his power when he answered the letter, but he added a postscript: "Don't think of Bellevue street: you wouldn't like it." He heard no more till one day he came back to his early dinner and found a sealed envelope on his table. It contained a half sheet of paper, on which Bertie had scrawled in pencil, "Why did you abuse Bellevue street? We think it will do. And why didn't you say there were rooms in this very house? We have taken them, so there is an end of your peaceful solitude. I'm going to practise for ever and ever. If you don't like it there's no reason why you shouldn't leave: it's a free country, they say." Percival looked round his room. She had been there, then?--perhaps had stood where he was standing. His glance fell on the turquoise-blue vase and the artificial flowers, and he colored as if he were Lydia's accomplice. Had she seen those and the _Language of Flowers_? As if his thought had summoned her, Lydia herself appeared to lay the cloth for his dinner. She looked quickly round: "Did you see your note, Mr. Thorne?" "Thank you, yes," said Percival. "I supposed it was right to show them in here to write it--wasn't it?" she asked after a pause. "He said he knew you very well." "Quite right, certainly." "A very pleasant-spoken young gentleman, ain't he?" said Miss Bryant, setting down a salt-cellar. "Very," said Percival. "Coming to play the High Church organ, he tells me," Lydia continued, as if the instrument in question were somehow saturated with ritualism. "Yes--at St. Sylvester's." Lydia looked at him, but he was gazing into the fire. She went out, came back with a dish, shook her curl out of the way, and tried again: "I suppose we're to thank you for recommending the lodgings--ain't we, Mr. Thorne? I'm sure ma's much obliged to you. And I'm glad"--this with a bashful glance--"that you felt you could. It seems as if we'd given satisfaction." "Certainly," said Percival. "But you mustn't thank me in this case, Miss Bryant. I really didn't know what sort of lodgings my friend wanted. But of course I'm glad Mr. Lisle is coming here." "And ain't you glad _Miss_ Lisle is coming too, Mr. Thorne?" said Lydia very archly. But she watched him, lynx-eyed. He uttered no word of surprise, but he could not quite control the muscles of his face, and a momentary light leapt into his eyes. "I wasn't aware Miss Lisle _was_ coming," he said. Lydia believed him. "That's true," she thought, "but you're precious glad." And she added aloud, "Then the pleasure comes all the more unexpected, don't it?" She looked sideways at Percival and lowered her voice: "P'r'aps Miss Lisle meant a little surprise."