noon
She began to put on her things to go out , and as she fastened her hat she looked at herself in the glass . `` I have a wicked sort of face , '' she thought , with a curious detachment from the situation which was almost that of an outside observer . She packed a small hand-bag , and then opened her purse to see if she had money enough to carry out a vague plan of going somewhere to spend the night , `` to get away from people . '' It was noon when she went down-stairs ; in the hall she called to Miss White that she was going out . `` But it 's just dinner-time , my lamb , '' Miss White called back from the dining-room ; `` and I must talk to you about -- '' `` I -- I want to see Nannie , '' Elizabeth said , in a smothered voice . It occurred to her that , later , she would go and tell Nannie that she had broken her engagement ; it would be a satisfaction to do that , at any rate ! `` Oh , you 're going to take dinner with her ? ''