noon
`` True enough ! '' said Constance ; and the conversation glided into remarks on avaricious fathers and prodigal sons . Constance was witty on the subject , and Lady Erpingham laughed herself into excellent humour . It was considerably past noon when they arrived at the ruins . The carriage stopped before a small inn , at the entrance of a dismantled park ; and , taking advantage of the beauty of the day , Lady Erpingham and Constance walked slowly towards the remains of the Priory . The scene , as they approached , was wild and picturesque in the extreme . A wide and glassy lake lay stretched beneath them : on the opposite side stood the ruins .