a quarter to eight
And Cicely was grown up , and she and they , although there was so much that they had in common , were different , not only in the amount but in the quality of their experience of life . They always went in to their mother at eight o'clock , but were not allowed to go before . They did not want to go out of doors while so much was happening within , nor to stay in their schoolroom , which was the last place to which news would be brought ; so they perambulated the hall and the downstairs rooms and got in the way of the maids who were busy with them . And at a quarter to eight were surprised by their father 's entrance into the library , where they happened to be sitting for the moment . Their surprise was no greater than his , nor was it so effectively expressed . He saw at once , and said so , that they were up to some mischief , and he would not have it , did they understand that ? `` We were only sitting talking , father , '' said Joan .