three minutes to nine
Beatrice , who had listened to the brief dialogue in feverish suspense , now came to the rescue , asking Lionel to give them the benefit of his clear , ringing tenor in a trio of Mendelssohn 's . `` My ` clear , ringing tenor ' is quite at your service , '' he said with a smile . `` Lily is very unkind to me tonight . '' They went to the piano , where Lord Airlie awaited them ; and Lillian , looking at her small , jeweled watch -- Lord Earle 's present -- saw that it wanted three minutes to nine . She at once quitted the room , unobserved , as she thought ; but Lionel saw her go . No words can tell how distasteful and repugnant was the task she had undertaken . She would have suffered anything almost to have evaded it .