The house was stone-built and substantial, but very plain; it stood alone and unsheltered by the roadside, a quarter of a mile from the town, looking seaward; it had garden ground and primitive stabling.

The rooms numbered nine, exclusive of kitchen; small, but not diminutive.

The people were very friendly (Harvey wrote), and gave him all aid in investigating the place, with a view to repairs and so on; by remaining for a few days he would be able to consult with a builder, so as to have necessary work set in train as soon as the present occupants were gone.
Alma's engagement had been kept strictly secret.

When Harvey returned after a week of activity, he found her still reluctant to fix a day, or even the month, for their wedding.

He did not plead, but wrote her a little letter, saying that the house could be ready by--at all events--the second week in December; that he would then consult with her about furniture, and would go down to superintend the final putting in order.