six o'clock
Except for the separation , the cloud had hardly fallen on these , but their departure had made a great hole in the hitherto unbroken family ; and while Felix and Wilmet , by the loss of their contemporaries , seemed placed at a point far away from the others , Geraldine was conscious of much loneliness . The twins had always consorted together , and regarded her as a mere child , and her chief companions had been her father and Edgar , so that she seemed left at an equal distance both from the elder and younger party . Then the world around her was so busy , and she could do so little . She slept in a little inner room beyond the large nursery , where Wilmet kept guard over Angela and Bernard ; and long before six o'clock , she always heard the call pass between the eldest brother and sister ; and knew that as soon as he was dressed , Felix -- it must out -- was cleaning the family boots , including those of the lodger , who probably supposed that nature did it , and never knew how much his young landlord had done before joining him in his early walk to St. Oswald 's . Meantime Wilmet conducted the toilette of the two little children , and gave the assistance that Cherry needed , as well as discharging some of the lighter tasks of the housemaid ; leaving the heavier ones to Sibby and Martha , a stout , willing , strong young woman , whom Sister Constance had happily found for them , and who was disqualified , by a loutish manner and horrible squint , from the places to which her capabilities might have raised her . Then Wilmet helped her sister downstairs , and a visit was paid to the mother and the twins , who were Sibby 's charge for the night . Mrs. Underwood was still in the same state .