about a quarter to six
Clement was undecided whether to condemn or admire ; and Geraldine , to whom Edgar had lent some volumes of Ruskin , meditated on the grotesque . Before there had been time for the fanciful sport to become rough comedy , Lance had called off his friend to see the potteries ; and to poor Cherry 's horror , she found that Robina had been swept off in the torrent of boyhood . Clement , pitying her despair and self-reproach , magnanimously offered to follow , and either bring the little maid back , or keep her out of harm 's way ; and for some time Cherry reposed in the conviction that ` Tina was as good as a girl any day . ' But at about a quarter to six , a little tap came to Mr. Audley 's door , and Angela stood there , saying , with a most serious face , ` Please , Mr. Audley , Cherry wants to know whether you do n't think something must have happened . ' And going upstairs , he found the poor young deputy in a nervous agony of despair at the non-return of any of the party , quite certain that some catastrophe had befallen them , and divided between self-reproach and dread of the consequences . ` The very first day Wilmet had gone ! ' as she said .