half past eleven
None of the party intended to dance , and so it would be easy , Brigit thought , to `` have an eye upon the girls . '' Monny had bought Oriental costumes for herself and Rachel . They were rather conspicuous , luckily for Biddy 's plan , for among the many gorgeous dresses in the Casino she had no difficulty in tracking those two . Until half past eleven , she told herself , she need not be on the alert every instant ; but therein had lain her mistake . Sir Marcus Lark had appeared , dressed -LRB- more or less -RRB- as a Roman officer of the Occupation days , he having heard Mrs. East remark that , `` whatever _ anybody _ said , it was her favourite period . '' The lady , of course , had not missed such an opportunity to appear as Cleopatra . She had brought a costume with her from New York ; and while Biddy `` lost herself '' in watching the effect of this magnificence on Sir Marcus , the girls vanished .