noon
Thorpe picked up the book , which lay face downward , and held it close to his near-sighted eyes . Araminta trembled ; she was afraid he would take it away from her . All that day , she had lived in a new land , where men were brave and women were fair . Castle towers loomed darkly purple in the sunset , or shone whitely at noon . Kings and queens , knights and ladies , moved sedately across the tapestry , mounted on white chargers with trappings of scarlet and gold . Long lances shimmered in the sun and the armour of the knights gave back the light an hundred fold . Strange music sounded in Araminta 's ears -- love songs and serenades , hymns of battle and bugle calls .