noon
Seeing this it reminded her of the old man and his bundle of sticks , and of the ill-behaviour of Master Bennet ; and then all those old days came fresh to her mind . Mrs. Howard had sent to a friend in London to get the toys -- two dolls exactly alike , and the histories of Miss Jemima Meek and Peter Pippin were the things she sent for ; and they had not arrived a week when Mrs. Howard found a use for them . It was the beginning of July , and a very hot close day ; Mrs. Howard sat at her window , and saw the little ones go as usual towards the village ; it was Saturday , and she knew that they would be back again about one , for it was a half-holiday . The heat became greater and greater towards noon ; there was not a breath of air , and the sun was hidden by a red glaring mist . '' ` We shall have a tempest , ' said Mrs. Howard to a maid who had been hired to wait upon her ; ` I hope the little girls will get home before it comes on -- have they far to go ? ' `` When Mrs. Howard had explained what little girls she meant , the maid told her that they were the children of a farmer of the name of Symonds , and that the house was not a half-mile distant up the lane . `` Whilst Mrs. Howard was talking with the servant , the heavens had grown black , the clouds hung low ; there was a creaking , groaning sort of sound among the trees , and the larger birds arose and flew heavily over the woods , uttering harsh cryings . ''