nearly eight
o'clock
Sally held aloof from the laughter , scornfully regarding the laughers . She had been rather serious all day . And when the noise and fun were at their height Madam and Gaga and another man and woman came into the room , having motored to the hotel , taken their tea in another room , and determined to join the party . The tea had been so late , and so prolonged , that it was already nearly eight o'clock , and as the sky had grown overcast and the day was drawing to a close the lights suddenly popped up to illumine the faces of both feasters and visitors . A piano was opened at the far end of the room , and the woman who was with Madam sat down at it and began to play . But only one or two of the girls danced : the others had eaten too much to be able to do so . Then Rose sang a song , in which she said that her heart was aching and breaking at somebody 's forsaking , and the girls looked at one another significantly ; and there were more songs , and the girls sat back in their chairs with flushed faces , and each of them in turn seemed to be doing something to entertain the party .