noon
`` How changed , how changed and corrupted this heart has become ! '' she murmured , in her dejection , `` when that life which was once my most ardent desire now seems to me worse than the grave . Anything -- any life of duty in the world , rather than that living death . '' She was in the garden next morning at six , after a sleepless night , and she occupied herself till noon in going about among the cottagers carrying those small comforts which she had been in the habit of taking them , and listening patiently to those various distresses which they were very glad to relate to her . She taught the children , and read to the sick , and was able in this round of duties to keep her thoughts from dwelling too persistently upon her own trouble . After the one o'clock dinner , at which she offended old Reuben by eating hardly anything , she went for a woodland ramble with her dogs , and it was near sunset when she returned to the house , just in time to see two road-stained horses being led away from the hall door . Sir John had come home .