noon
The winter had thus far proved a full and happy one to Fan ; in February she was even more fully occupied , and , if possible , happier ; for after leaving the establishment in Regent Street , Miss Starbrow sent her to the school of embroidery in South Kensington to take lessons in a new and still more delightful art . But at the end of that month Fan unhappily , and from no fault of her own , fell into serious disgrace . She had gone to the Exhibition Road with a sample of her work on the morning of a bright windy day which promised to be dry ; a little later Miss Starbrow also went out . Before noon the weather changed , and a heavy continuous rain began to fall . At one o'clock Miss Starbrow came home in a cab , and as she went into the house it occurred to her to ask the maid if Fan had got very wet or had come in a cab . She knew that Fan had not taken an umbrella . `` No , ma'am ; she walked home , but did n't get wet .