"Nothing. I only meant I couldn't...." "Oh!" "What's that?... Some one coming along the lawn." "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." "Oh, _do_! Harry's devouring gooseberries. He's sketching the sky." "Why doesn't Harry come?" said Romer. He had no expression, and it was always impossible to guess by his looks or his tone what he was thinking or feeling, except when he smiled. "Here he is." Harry joined them. "Good gracious, old boy! Who in the world--! What on earth made you come out so early?" Romer now smiled and looked at Valentia admiringly. "Gardener's not up yet. Thought perhaps I'd mow the lawn," he said apologetically. CHAPTER XXVIII "REPLY PAID" Valentia had been hurt at the tone in which Harry had given his orders, and turned from him to help to find the mowing-machine. "Doesn't she look jolly at sunrise? All that pink and mauve in the sky tones in so well. It seems to suit her. That's how she really should be painted," said Harry, in the tone of an artist admiring his model. "Don't you think so?" "Yes," said Romer. "She looks like a golden rose," Harry went on. He wanted to please Val, who he saw was annoyed with him, and to emphasise the openness of his admiration to Romer. "Doesn't she?" "Quite," said her husband. Harry felt the morning was spoilt and the situation absurd. He could not bear to be thwarted in any way. He went back to his own room, bounced angrily on to his bed, and went to sleep again, after having seen Valentia through the window helping to push the mower, and saying to himself-- "How like a woman! I shall go up to town with Van Buren and send a wire to Alec." This was his revenge. Their momentary fears about Romer were completely dissipated. He seemed exactly as usual. As a rule he was even-tempered. Not many people had seen him put out, though he could be very angry, except with Valentia. During this day he seemed, for him, a little irritable. Perhaps, Val thought, through getting up too early.