noon
It left her exempt from those troubles , like a bramble patch , into which Dorothy was plunged . Both Dorothy and Richard were inclined to agree with their monitress . Richard was too wholly of the battle-ax breed to favor stealth and creeping about . It was in his heart to marry Dorothy defiantly , and at noon . Dorothy 's reasons were less robust ; she was thinking on her father and `` Uncle Pat , '' and all their kindnesses . She could not make up her loyal heart to any step that smacked of treachery to them . `` And yet , '' observed Richard , `` here we are where we started . ''