"Wonderful man!" said Herrick looking into the fire. "Well you did right to trust us both. We are merely friends now. Indeed I know we never were anything else. I was blind; but she was not. However I am glad that you two are engaged. You will be happy."
"At this very minute if you like. Is it Bess you are talking of?"
Stephen sat up on the sofa looking astonished. "Yes," he said, "Ida saw that she was in love with you--"
"Ida is a clever woman. She prophesied my love would come suddenly. Bess has not yet formally consented to be my wife; but I think it will be all right."
"I am more than delighted. We shall be brothers-in-law. And you will always stay here Jim?"
"Living on you my dear fellow? No, I shall start practice again in Town, when I have got together sufficient money. Then when I am doing fairly well Bess shall come to me and supplement my income by writing novels in the intervals of looking after the house."
"Herrick you must not go away. You promised."
"Until you were married. But be of good cheer Steve, I won't leave you until everything is right." Dr. Jim said these last words with a significance which was lost on his listener.
"Oh! he never had a chance. I was a fool to let him hang after Bess. However I found out to-day what she was to me, so it is all right now."
"Bess and Ida are coming over this evening with Frank."
"All the better. I can make my proposal in due form. By the way Steve I am going up Town to-morrow if you can spare me."
"Certainly. But it is not to make arrangements to leave me is it?"
"I should think not! I shall never go till you tell me Steve. No, I am going to see about some business of my own. Well I must dress. I hope you have a good dinner for me. I am very hungry."
"You think of nothing but eating," said Stephen with a laugh.
The dinner gave every satisfaction even to Herrick who was somewhat fastidious. But Ida had seen that a good cook was engaged, and the two men had nothing to complain of. Dinner over, Herrick supported Stephen into the library, and placed him on the sofa. Then he sat beside him and they smoked over their coffee and cognac. "But you must go to bed at half past ten," said Herrick sternly.
"What a tyrant you are Jim. Hark, there are the girls."