six o'clock
And upon this half-bitter , half-proud speech of Mark Clay 's Sarah built her romance , which varied as she invented different explanations of the mystery from time to time ; but her favourite one was that her mother first married a lord who was ashamed of his wife , and would not acknowledge his children until they were grown up and properly educated ; and Sarah used to picture the reconciliation between them and their proud relatives , for whose benefit she composed many fine speeches full of reproof and final forgiveness . This may be a little excuse for her want of respect to her father , Mark Clay , by speaking of whom , it will be remembered , as ` your husband ' she used to anger her mother . She even half-thought of telling Horatia this tale ; but Horatia had a way of turning everything into ridicule , and one of the many things that Sarah could not stand was being laughed at . The same motor that took George Clay to the station took Sarah that afternoon to meet Horatia Cunningham , who was to arrive at six o'clock , and who persisted in arriving at that hour , although Sarah had written to her and warned her it was the hour when the mill-hands came out ; she said she did not mind at all , and supposed that she would be quite safe in a motor with its smart chauffeur ; and Sarah , looking so fresh and dainty that many a one turned and looked after the millionaire 's pretty daughter , started off for the station , and not one of them guessed she was feeling nervous , and wished with all her might that she were going on another errand . The girl even wished that something might have happened to prevent her friend from coming ; but when the train stopped she saw the wish was vain , for Horatia 's face was smiling at her from a window , and Sarah forgot her fears for the moment , and smiled back a welcome . Sarah stepped forward to help Horatia down from the carriage , and suddenly her expression changed to one of mingled surprise and annoyance ; seeing which , the young visitor , with a merry laugh , jumped from the carriage to the platform , ignoring the steps and Sarah 's outstretched hand . ` There !