"Doesn't it sound curious?" she said—"so rustly!"
"Who can it be? Surely your friend Vaughan couldn't get up at this hour."
"Nonsense! Of course not. They're coming here." She jumped up.
"Go and open the gate at once," said Harry, giving her the key. "I'll wait here a minute." While she obeyed he used a good deal of language. He now felt that he would give all he possessed to keep her there five minutes longer.
"Fancy! It's Romer!" exclaimed Valentia. "He hasn't seen me yet."
"Go to him at once. Tell him you got up to see the sun rise. I'll come directly and join you. Oh, confound it! Do look sharp. Seem pleased to see him." He spoke in a harsh tone of command.
She ran to meet Romer, saying jokingly, "Fancy meeting you!"
"I thought you'd be here. I went to your room and found you were out. Thought I'd get up early."
"I'm so glad. Isn't it lovely and worth seeing here? Come and pick some fruit in the orchard."
"No, thanks."