nearly five o'clock
Her future 's ruined . '' Lydia , sitting on the front steps in the lovely September afternoons , rubbed Adam 's ears , watched the pine and the Norton herds and thought some long , long thoughts . Finally , one hazy Saturday afternoon , she gathered a great bunch of many colored asters and started off , without telling Lizzie of her destination . It was nearly five o'clock when she stopped at the Marshalls ' gate . The front of the house was closed , but nothing daunted , she made her way round to the kitchen door , which was open . Elviry answered her rap . `` Oh , it 's Lydia , '' she said , brusquely .