noon
How had she taken their long , unexplained absence ? Would she still be singing `` Ach , mein lieber Augustine ! '' when they returned , and would there be a long clothes line bowed under the weight of clean white linen bleaching in the sun ready to be ironed ? So restless did they grow under these speculations , that they did not pause for lunch and , urging the `` Comet '' to the limit of his speed , they reached home a little before noon . Alberdina was there . Thank heavens for that . They could see her plainly as they turned the curve in the road .