midday
He was very much perturbed , and very nearly shed tears when he clasped Penelope in his arms . But in an hour 's time he got restless , and asked Verena in a fretful tone what he had left his employment for . She gave him a fresh account of the whole story as far as she knew it , and he once more remembered and asked to see Pauline , and actually dropped a tear on her forehead . But by the midday train he returned to The Dales , and long before he got there the whole affair in the White Bay was forgotten by him . In a week 's time Pauline was pronounced convalescent ; but although she had recovered her appetite , and to a certain extent her spirits , there was a considerable change over her . This the doctor did not at first remark ; but Miss Tredgold and Verena could not help noticing it . For one thing , Pauline hated looking at the sea .