eight in the evening
So Miss Hood -- Emily , as she was called by the little group of people away in Yorkshire , to whom she was other than a governess ; Emily ; as we will permit ourselves to call her henceforth -- always had the meal of tea with the children . After that the evening was her own , save that the twins kept her company until their hour of bedtime . The school-room was also her sitting-room . After half-past eight in the evening she had it to herself , and there she passed many an hour of quiet content , playing softly on the piano , reading , dreaming . In the matter of books she was well off ; Mr. Athel and his sister had subscriptions at several London libraries , and of these the governess was invited to make free use . It was some restraint upon her that her choice of reading always passed under Mrs. Bossall 's eyes , but not so much after the first few weeks . The widow was by this time well advanced in the resumption of purely mundane literature , and the really liberal tone which prevailed in the house removed apprehension in the pursuit of modern studies .