noon
It may be wondered that Margaret had so much idle time upon her hands , and was not more constantly supervised in her comings and goings by Lady Caroline . But certain occurrences in the Adair family made it easy just then for her to go her own way . Mr. Adair was obliged to stay in London on business , and while he was away very little was doing at Helmsley Court . Lady Caroline took the opportunity of his absence to `` give way '' a little : she suffered occasionally from neuralgia , and the doctor recommended her not to rise much before noon . Margaret 's comfort and welfare were not neglected . A Miss Stone , a distant relation of Lady Caroline 's , came to spend a few weeks at the Court as a companion for Margaret . Miss Stone was not at all a disagreeable person .