four o'clock in the afternoon
`` The breath of the morn , '' Cairy said , lifting the rose . `` The morn of morns , -- this is to be a great day , my lady ! I read it in your eyes . '' It was still sultry at four o'clock in the afternoon , and the two men walked slowly in the direction of the river . Cairy , who had been summoned by telegram to the city , would have preferred to be driven to the junction by Isabelle , but when Vickers had suggested that he knew a short cut by a shady path along the river , he had felt obliged to accept the implied invitation . He was debating why Price had suddenly evinced this desire to be with him , for he felt sure that Vickers disliked him . But Isabelle had shown plainly that she would like him to accept her brother 's offer , -- she was too tired to go out again , she said , and the only horse that could be used was a burden to drive .