eleven
o'clock
Immediately before the house door , between that and the old tower , there stood one of Farmer Stovey 's hay-carts , now empty , with an old horse between the shafts looking as though he were asleep in the sun . Immediately beyond the tower the men were loading another cart , and the women and children were chattering as they raked the scattered remnants up to the rows . Under the shadow of the old tower , but in sight of Clara as she sat in the porch , there lay the small beer-barrels of the hay-makers , and three or four rakes were standing erect against the old grey wall . It was now eleven o'clock , and Clara was waiting for her father , who was not yet out of his room . She had taken his breakfast to him in bed , as was her custom ; for he had fallen into idle ways , and the luxury of his bed was , of all his remaining luxuries , the one that he liked the best . After a while he came down to her , having an open letter in his hand . Clara saw that he intended either to show it to her or to speak of it , and asked him therefore , with some tone of interest in her voice , from whom it had come .