About noon
At the breakfast-table Irene opened a hasty missive from Salome , inviting her to be present at the presentation of the flag , and begging a few choice flowers for the occasion . Smiling quietly , she filled the accompanying basket with some of the rarest treasures of the greenhouse , added a bowl of raspberries which the gardener had just brought in , and sent all , with a brief line excusing herself from attending . The morning was spent in writing to her father , preparing a parcel for him , and in superintending the making of a large quantity of blackberry jelly and cordial for the use of the hospitals . About noon Dr. Arnold came , and found her engaged in sealing up a number of the jars , all neatly labelled . The day was warm ; she had pushed back her hair from her brow , as she bent over her work ; the full sleeves were pinned up above the elbow , and she wore a white check-muslin apron to protect her dress from the resin and beeswax . `` In the name of Medea and her Colchian cauldron ! what are you about , Irene ? ''