noon
She turned away from the stream with a strange backward look , and they walked home . But as Kate showed some disinclination to return to the river-side , Alec put a seat for her near the house , in the shadow of a silver birch , and threw himself on the grass at her feet . There he began to read the _ Antiquary _ , only half understanding it , in the enchantment of knowing that he was lying at her feet , and had only to look up to see her eyes . At noon , Mrs Forbes sent them a dish of curds , and a great jug of cream , with oatcakes , and butter soft from the churn ; and the rippling shadow of the birch played over the white curds and the golden butter as they ate . Am I not now fairly afloat upon the gentle stream of an idyl ? Shall I watch the banks as they glide past , and record each fairy-headed flower that looks at its image in the wave ? Or shall I mow them down and sweep them together in a sentence ?