Well, maybe she hadn't been that blunt about it. But abandoned belongings just happened to present the opportunity, and Belle's read enough to know that when convenient things like that do happen, to take advantage of it.

She greets him with a grin and a wave of her hand, stepping away from the door to meet him at the curb. "Not too long, no," she says with a shake of her head - and an inconspicuous glance at her watch. It isn't as though he's late; nothing to be guilty about whatsoever. And she adds rather sheepishly, "I thought it best to get here early. To make sure I had the right place - I've never been here before."

Not to mention the whole 'getting past her father without question' thing. Belle had won that argument (clearly), but once the opportunity presented itself, she had to take it, whether fifteen minutes too early or not.