five o’clock
When the hour of luncheon came , and no guests made their appearance , the young girls at the castle began to discuss what they should best do . ` I know nothing of fine people and their ways , ' said Kate -- ` you must take the whole direction here , Nina . ' ` It is only a question of time , and a cold luncheon can wait without difficulty . ' And so they waited till three , then till four , and now it was five o'clock ; when Kate , who had been over the kitchen-garden , and the calves ' paddock , and inspecting a small tract laid out for a nursery , came back to the house very tired , and , as she said , also very hungry . ` You know , Nina , ' said she , entering the room , ` I ordered no dinner to-day . I speculated on our making our dinner when your friends lunched ; and as they have not lunched , we have not dined ; and I vote we sit down now . I 'm afraid I shall not be as pleasant company as that Mr. -- do tell me his name -- Walpole -- but I pledge myself to have as good a appetite . '