about five o'clock
What was Lady Midlothian to her that she should be afraid of her ? And yet she was very much afraid of Lady Midlothian . She questioned herself on the subject over and over again , and found herself bound to admit that such was the fact . At last , about five o'clock , having reasoned much with herself , and rebuked herself for her own timidity , she descended into the drawing-room , -- Lady Glencora having promised that she would at that hour be there , -- and on opening the door became immediately conscious that she was in the presence of her august relative . There sat Lady Midlothian in a great chair opposite the fire , and Lady Glencora sat near to her on a stool . One of the Miss Pallisers was reading in a further part of the room , and there was no one else present in the chamber . The Countess of Midlothian was a very little woman , between sixty and seventy years of age , who must have been very pretty in her youth .