seven o'clock
Mrs. Carleton would not tarry there , but hastened down at once to the country , thinking to be at home before the news of their arrival . It was early morning of one fair day in July when they were at last drawing near the end of their journey . They would have reached it the evening before but for a storm which had constrained them to stop and wait over the night at a small town about eight miles off . For fear , then , of passing Guy on the road , his mother sent a servant before , and , making an extraordinary exertion , was actually herself in the carriage by seven o'clock . Nothing could be fairer than that early drive , if Fleda might have enjoyed it in peace . The sweet morning air was exceeding sweet , and the summer light fell upon a perfect luxuriance of green things . Out of the carriage Fleda 's spirits were at home , but not within it ; and it was sadly irksome to be obliged to hear and respond to Mrs. Carleton 's talk , which was kept up , she knew , in the charitable intent to divert her .