five o'clock
The conversations that morning were of the nature of disconnected monologues from Gertie with long silences between . It was an afternoon of silent storm . The Major was away in the West End somewhere on mysterious affairs ; the children were at school , and the two women went about , each knowing what was in the mind of the other , yet each resolved to keep up appearances . At half-past five o'clock Frank abruptly came in for a cup of tea , and Mrs. Partington gave it him in silence . -LRB- Gertie could be heard moving about restlessly overhead . -RRB- She made one or two ordinary remarks , watching Frank when he was not looking . But Frank said very little .