noon
Lucy knew well why her presence was required . Of course she would come . It would be wise to get it over and have done with it . At noon Lady Fawn , with her three eldest daughters , went out in the carriage , and Lucy was busy among the others with books and maps and sheets of scribbled music . Nothing was done on that day in the way of instruction ; but there was much of half-jocose acknowledgement of past idleness , and a profusion of resolutions of future diligence . One or two of the girls were going to commence a course of reading that would have broken the back of any professor , and suggestions were made as to very rigid rules as to the talking of French and German . `` But as we ca n't talk German , '' said Nina , `` we should simply be dumb . ''