eight o'clock
Noreen , too , had to be petted into a calmer state -- her old aversion to her father sprang into renewed life with each return after an absence . In a few days the child would grow accustomed to his presence and accept him with indifference , at least , but there was always this struggle . Mary-Clare herself wondered where Larry was ; why he delayed , once having come back to the Forest ; but she kept to her tasks of preparation and reassuring Noreen , and so the day passed . At eight o'clock , having eaten supper and undressed the child , she sat in the deep wooden rocker with Noreen in her arms . There was always one story that had power to claim attention when all others failed , and Mary-Clare resorted to it now . Swaying back and forth she told the story of the haunt-wind . `` It was a wonderful wind , Noreen , quite magical .