nearly noon
Guy was not expected with his bride for two weeks , or more , and as the days dragged on , Maddy felt that the waiting for him was more intolerable than the seeing him with Lucy would be . Restless and impatient , she could not remain quietly at the cottage -- while at Aikenside , she longed to return again to her own home , and in this way the time wore on , until the anniversary of that day when she had come from New York , and found Guy waiting for her the station . To stay that day in the house so rife with memories of the dead was impossible , and Flora was surprised and delighted to hear that both were going up to Aikenside in the vehicle hired of Farmer Green , whose officiated as driver . It was nearly noon when they reached their destination , meeting at the gate with Flora 's brother Tom , who said to them : `` We 've heard from Mr. Guy ; the ship is in ; they 'll be here sure to-night , and Mrs. Noah is turnin ' things upside down with the dinner . '' Leaning back in the buggy , Maddy felt for a moment as if she were dying . Never until then had she realized how , all the while , she had been clinging to an indefinable hope , a presentiment that something might yet occur to spare her from a long lifetime of pain , such as lay before her if Guy were really lost ; but the bubble had burst , leaving her nothing to hope , nothing to cling to , nothing but black despair ; and half bewildered , she received the noisy greeting of Jessie , who met her at the door , and dragged her into the drawing-room , decorated with flowers from the hothouse , told her to guess who was coming . `` I know ; Tom told me ; Guy is coming with Lucy , '' Maddy answered , and relieving herself from Jessie , she turned to Agnes , asking where Mrs. Noah was , and if she might go to her for a moment .