noon
For she was infinitely touched and attracted by that warmhearted letter , and could not bear to meet it with a refusal . She hoped , for a time at least , to be a comfort , and to make suggestions , with some chance of being attended to . Such aid seemed due from the old friendship at whatever peril thereto , and she would leave her final answer till she should see whether her friend 's letter had been written only on the impulse of the moment , and half retracted immediately after . The brother and sister crossed the Channel at night , and arrived at Kenminster at noon , on a miserably wet day . At the station they were met by Jock and a little yellow dog . His salutation , as he capped his master , was -- `` Please , mother sent me up to see if you were come by this train , because if you 'd come to early dinner , she would be glad , because there 's a builder or somebody coming with Uncle Robert about the repairs afterwards . Mother sent the carriage because of the rain .