about five o'clock
I remembered a story I read once about an impish dwarf that lived in the spaces between the double walls of an ancient castle . I wondered vaguely if my original idea of a secret entrance to a hidden chamber could be right , after all , and if we were housing some erratic guest , who played pranks on us in the dark , and destroyed the walls that he might listen , hidden safely away , to our amazed investigations . Mary Anne and Eliza left that afternoon , but Rosie decided to stay . It was about five o'clock when the hack came from the station to get them , and , to my amazement , it had an occupant . Matthew Geist , the driver , asked for me , and explained his errand with pride . `` I 've brought you a cook , Miss Innes , '' he said . `` When the message came to come up for two girls and their trunks , I supposed there was something doing , and as this here woman had been looking for work in the village , I thought I 'd bring her along . ''