noon before
The day was spent by poor Fleda between pain and stupor , each of which acted in some measure to check the other ; too much exhausted for nervous pain to reach the height it sometimes did , while yet that was sufficient to prevent stupor from sinking into sleep . Beyond any power of thought or even fancy , with only a dreamy succession of images flitting across her mind , the hours passed she knew not how ; that they did pass she knew from her handmaid in the long curls who was every now and then coming in to look at her and give her fresh water ; it needed no ice . Her handmaid told her that the cars were gone by -- that it was near noon -- then that it was past noon . There was no help for it ; she could only lie still and wait ; it was long past noon before she was able to move ; and she was looking ill enough yet when she at last opened the door of the parlour and slowly presented herself . Mr. Carleton was there alone , Mrs. Renney having long since accompanied her baggage . He came forward instantly and led Fleda to the sofa , with such gentle grave kindness that she could hardly bear it ; her nerves had been in an unsteady state all day . A table was set and partially spread with evidently much more care than the one of the morning ; and Fleda sat looking at it afraid to trust herself to look anywhere else .