midday
She despised Ansdore for its very splendours , just as she despised her sister 's best clothes more than her old ones . By Christmas Day things had righted themselves a little . Ellen was too young to sulk more than a day or two , and she began to forget her grievances in the excitement of the festival . There was the usual communal midday dinner , with Arthur Alce back in his old place at Joanna 's right hand . Alce had behaved like a gentleman , and refused to take back the silver tea set , his premature wedding gift . Then in the evening , Joanna gave a party , at which young Vines and Southlands and Furneses offered their sheepish admiration to her sister Ellen . Of course everyone was agreed that Ellen Godden gave herself lamentable airs , but she appealed to her neighbours ' curiosity through her queer , exotic ways , and the young men found her undeniably beautiful -- she had a thick , creamy skin , into which her childhood 's roses sometimes came as a dim flush , and the younger generation of the Three Marshes was inclined to revolt from the standards of its fathers .