noon
What , she asked herself , again and again , was the thing that lay at the back of the little priest 's mind ? What -- what was the curious , nebulous instinct that was busy at the back of her own ? It was the second day after the arrival of John Kars and his outfit . The noon meal at Ailsa Mowbray 's house had been shared by the visitors . The river was busy with the life of the post , mother and son had returned to the Fort to continue their long day 's work , and the woodland paths approaching it were alive with a procession of those who had wares to trade . It was a busy scene . And one which gave no hint of any fear of the marauders whom Murray had gone to deal with .