three o'clock
No wonder Lady MacGregor adored her nephew , though treating him as if he were a little boy ! One of Nevill 's idiosyncrasies , after arranging everything to fit a certain plan , was to rush off at the last minute and do something entirely different . Last night -- the night before starting for Grand Kabylia -- he had begged Stephen to be ready by eight , at which time the car was ordered . At nine -- having sat up till three o'clock writing letters , and then having visited a lately imported gazelle in its quarters -- Nevill was still in his bath . At length he arrived on the scene , beaming , with a sulky chameleon in his pocket , and flew about giving last directions , until he suddenly discovered that there was a violent hurry , whereupon he began to be boyishly peevish with the chauffeur for not getting off an hour ago . No sooner had the car started , however , than he fell into a serious mood , telling Stephen of many things which he had thought out in the night -- things which might be helpful in finding Victoria . He had been lying awake , it seemed , brooding on this subject , and it had occurred to him that , if Mouni should prove a disappointment , they might later discover something really useful by going to the annual ball at the Governor 's palace .