"Pray bring your breakfast to this table," she said, in a light tone. "I was immensely interested in you when I heard you were coming. I adore doctors, particularly if they are clever. Are you going to ride this morning?"
I answered in the affirmative, and asked her if she was fond of horses.
"Fond?" she replied, a flash of added warmth lighting up her peculiar red-brown eyes. "I am going to whisper a secret to you—I never could compare horses and human beings. I consider the horse the infinitely nobler creature of the two."
I laughed, and we entered into an animated conversation.
While we were talking, Carleton came into the room. He was a squarely built young man, with deeply set dark eyes, and a determined chin and mouth. His figure was slightly above the middle height; he was extremely spare, but had good shoulders and was well set up. As soon as ever he appeared in sight, Miss Farnham, by an almost imperceptible movement, slightly turned her back to him and her talk with me became even more animated and full of wit than before. Her gay, light laugh must have reached Carleton, who came straight across the room to her side.
"You are in your favourite seat," he said.
"Yes," she replied, "and Dr. Halifax is having breakfast with me."
Then she turned to continue her conversation with me, while Carleton stood perfectly erect and silent by her side.
"Why don't you eat something?" she said to him, presently.
"There is time enough," he answered.