noon
asked Tom . `` Yes , '' I said , `` and a poor friend to his father and the Duke of York . '' * * * * * The next night was a very merry one . We had dined at noon as usual : and that was pretty merry too ; for all the servants dined with us , and the men from the farm and their wives . It was sad to have had no mass at all ; and all that we had instead of it was the sound of the bells from Hormead , from the church that had been our own a hundred and fifty years ago -- which was worse than nothing . At dinner we observed the usual ceremonial , with the drinking of healths and the burning of candles ; and Dolly and her father and her maid sang a grace at the beginning and end -- with a carol or two afterwards that was a surprise to me . It was very homely and friendly and Christian ; and I saw my man James with his arm around one of the dairymaids -- which is pretty Christian too , I think .