Ella's thoughts often dwelt upon that promised visit to London which she was to pay Mrs. Carlyon. Previously to Conroy's visit to the Hall she had not looked forward to the visit with any particular pleasure. _Now_ she counted the number of days that intervened before she should start, and so see Conroy again. Though the time was not quite fixed, each morning when she awoke she said to herself, with a little shiver of happiness, "Another day nearer." Conroy had never spoken one word of love to her, yet in her heart lay a dim, blissful consciousness that she was dearer to him than all the world beside. One day there came an invitation for herself and Mrs. Toynbee to dine at Homedale. Lady Cleeve did not choose that Philip should be dining here, there, and everywhere, and make no return for it. So she invited a few friends, taking the opportunity of Freddy Bootle's being at Nullington, that he might make one. Captain Lennox and his sister were included. Lady Cleeve knew little or nothing of them, but she knew how hospitable they were to Philip: and the Vicar of course was one of the party. Old Dr. Downes was laid up with the gout, and Mr. Tiplady was away: but Dr. Spreckley was there. It was a pleasant, informal gathering, and all felt at ease. It was only necessary to bring Freddy Bootle into the presence of Ella for his old flame of love to leap suddenly into life again. This evening he could do little beyond sigh and look miserable, and polish his eyeglass perpetually. His usual flow of harmless small talk was as dried up as a mountain stream at midsummer. "She's too completely lovely," he whispered to Philip more than once; while to Lennox he turned and said, "I've such a longing to-night to be able to write verses. Never had the feeling before. Only they would be awful rubbish, you know"--which very probably they would have been. Lady Cleeve took quite a liking for Mrs. Ducie: who indeed charmed all without conscious effort. She was a great favourite with the Vicar, and after dinner he sat by her side for an hour. Philip's eyes were turned towards her very frequently, but his attentions to her were not more marked than those he paid to any other of his mother's guests. "A pity poor old Downes could not be here!" remarked Captain Lennox to Miss Winter, in the course of the evening. "That gout is sure to attack one at an unseasonable time." Ella smiled at the last sentence, as she made room for the Captain on the sofa. "I hope Dr. Downes is not breaking," she said, "but he has not looked well lately." "Oh, he is all right: it was only this fit of gout coming on. The last time I saw him he broke into a lamentation over the loss of his gold snuffbox: it's not often he speaks of it. That was a curious thing, by the way." "Very," assented Ella. "I was away at the time, but I heard about it on my return. It put me in mind of the loss of my aunt's jewels."