It's no proaper." "I like Jamie Doo better nor onybody i' the haill warl," said Annie, "excep'-- " Here she stopped short.

She would not expose her heart to the gaze of that man.
"Excep' wha ?" urged Bruce.
"I'm no gaein to say," returned Annie firmly.
"Ye're a camstairie (perverse) lassie," said Bruce, pushing her away with a forceful acidity in the combination of tone and push.
She walked off to bed, caring nothing for his rebuke.

For since Alec's kindness had opened to her a well of the water of life, she had almost ceased to suffer from the ungeniality of her guardians.

She forgot them as soon as she was out of their sight.

And certainly they were nicer to forget than to remember..