One I'm going to give the name to!' 'You took me by surprise,' said Mr Rokesmith, 'and it sounded like an omen, that you should speak of showing the Dead to one so young and blooming.' Now, Bella suspected by this time that Mr Rokesmith admired her.

Whether the knowledge (for it was rather that than suspicion) caused her to incline to him a little more, or a little less, than she had done at first; whether it rendered her eager to find out more about him, because she sought to establish reason for her distrust, or because she sought to free him from it; was as yet dark to her own heart.

But at most times he occupied a great amount of her attention, and she had set her attention closely on this incident.
That he knew it as well as she, she knew as well as he, when they were left together standing on the path by the garden gate.
'Those are worthy people, Miss Wilfer.' 'Do you know them well ?' asked Bella.
He smiled, reproaching her, and she coloured, reproaching herself--both, with the knowledge that she had meant to entrap him into an answer not true--when he said 'I know OF them.' 'Truly, he told us he had seen you but once.' 'Truly, I supposed he did.' Bella was nervous now, and would have been glad to recall her question.
'You thought it strange that, feeling much interested in you, I should start at what sounded like a proposal to bring you into contact with the murdered man who lies in his grave.

I might have known--of course in a moment should have known--that it could not have that meaning.

But my interest remains.' Re-entering the family-room in a meditative state, Miss Bella was received by the irrepressible Lavinia with: 'There, Bella! At last I hope you have got your wishes realized--by your Boffins.