noon before
The day was spent by poor Fleda between pain and stupor , each of which acted in some measure to check the other -- too much exhausted for nervous pain , to reach the height it sometimes did , while yet that was sufficient to prevent stupor from sinking into sleep . Beyond any power of thought , or even fancy , with only a dreamy succession of images flitting across her mind , the hours passed , she knew not how ; that they did pass , she knew from her handmaid in the long curls , who was every now and then coming in to look at her , and give her fresh water ; it needed no ice . Her handmaid told her that the cars were gone by -- that it was near noon -- then , that it was past noon . There was no help for it ; she could only lie still and wait ; it was long past noon before she was able to move ; and she was looking ill enough yet , when she at last opened the door of the parlour and slowly presented herself . Mr. Carleton was there alone , Mrs. Renney having long since accompanied her baggage . He came forward instantly , and led Fleda to the sofa , with such gentle , grave kindness , that she could hardly bear it ; her nerves had been in an unsteady state all day . A table was set , and partially spread with evidently much more care than the one of the morning , and Fleda sat looking at it , afraid to trust herself to look anywhere else .