noon
No less clearly it was Christina 's duty to order it , and his own to eat it and pay for it . The arguments leading to this conclusion , and the conclusion itself , flashed upon Theobald about three and a half miles after he had left Crampsford on the road to Newmarket . He had breakfasted early , but his usual appetite had failed him . They had left the vicarage at noon without staying for the wedding breakfast . Theobald liked an early dinner ; it dawned upon him that he was beginning to be hungry ; from this to the conclusion stated in the preceding paragraph the steps had been easy . After a few minutes ' further reflection he broached the matter to his bride , and thus the ice was broken . Mrs Theobald was not prepared for so sudden an assumption of importance .