midday
One friend , however , she did consult , having so recently tested Him and found Him not wanting . Philip , happening into his always-open church early in the afternoon , was astounded to discover no less a person there than the Madam , on her knees , intent upon rendering unto God the things that are God 's , as honestly as she rendered unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar 's . He withdrew unnoticed ; and thereafter , to his great delight , Kate Kildare was a regular frequenter of the church she had built , sitting with a rather bored expression through the service from first to last , while her horse and her dogs waited patiently at the door for their Sabbath exercise ... . Kate shared the midday meal that day with workmen who were repairing damages to a favorite bit of beech-wood -- frequently her custom when work was on hand that required her special attention . So it was not until dark that she rode wearily back to Storm , to discover her household seething with excitement . Mag Henderson had never returned from her errand into the village . She had been gone since breakfast .