"But I didn't expect you to get up so early. I didn't wish it."

"It's too late now," she said pleasantly, "so I hope you won't find fault with
me for doing what I wanted to do."

"Did you mean to be up and have breakfast when I told you last night?"

"Yes. Of course I didn't let you know for you would have said I mustn't, and
then I couldn't. It isn't good for people to get up so early and do as much
as you had on your mind without eating. Now you won't be any the worse for
it."

"I certainly ought to be the better for so much kindly consideration; but it
will cure me of such unearthly hours if you feel that you must conform to
them. You look pale this morning, Alida; you're not strong enough to do such
things, and there's no need of it when I'm so used to waiting on myself."

"I shall have to remind you," she replied with a bright look at him over her
shoulder, "that you said I could do things my own way."

"Well, it seems odd after a year when everyone who came here appeared to
grudge doing a thing for a man's comfort."

"I should hope I was different from them."

"Well, you are. I thought you were different from anyone I ever knew as I saw
you there looking at the east. You seem wonderfully fond of pretty things."

"I'll own to that. But if you don't hurry you won't do as much as you hoped
by getting up early."