noon
All women know this with a gladness that is salted by sorrow . Saltire 's eyes were the only ones she could not meet with serenity . She felt his glance on her often , but always when she tried to lift hers to meet it , her lids seemed weighted by little heavy pebbles . She meant to overcome this weakness , though , and look at him even as she had answered at noon ; but , in the middle of dinner , while she yet strove against the physical inability , her resolution was disturbed by a strange occurrence . A wild scream of fear and horror came ringing from the nursery . Without a thought for anything but that it was Roddy 's voice , Christine sprang from the table . Down the long passage and into the nursery she ran , and , almost bursting into the room , caught the boy in her arms .