noon
Skirting the neighbourhood of squares and gardens and large houses , she soon reached Praed -LCB- 035 -RCB- Street , and then the Harrow Road , along which she hurriedly walked ; and when it began to grow light and the shopkeepers were taking down their shutters , she had crossed the Regent 's Canal , and found herself in a brick-and-mortar wilderness entirely unknown to her . Here she felt perfectly safe for the time , for the Clarks , she felt sure , would trouble themselves no further about her , for she was nothing to them ; and as for Joe Harrod , she had heard them say that he would be called that day to identify his wife 's body at the inquest , and give his evidence about the way in which she had met her death . About these unknown streets Fan wandered for hours in an aimless kind of way , not seeking work nor speaking to anyone ; for the words Mrs. Clark had spoken about the uselessness of seeking employment dressed as she was still weighed on her mind and made her ashamed of addressing any person . Towards noon hunger and fatigue began to make her very faint ; and by-and-by the short daylight would fail , and there would be no food and no shelter for the night . This thought spurred her into action . She went into a small side street of poor mean-looking houses and a few shops scattered here and there among the private dwellings . Into one of these -- a small oil-shop , where she saw a woman behind the counter -- she at last ventured .