six o'clock
And even Maurice , as an escort , engaged to be married so shortly as he was known to be , was perfectly unobjectionable . Beatrice went , and , as we have seen , lunched at Walpole Lodge . She had told her mother not to expect her till late in the afternoon , as , in all probability , Lady Kynaston would drive her into town and would drop her in Eaton Square at the end of her drive . Mrs. Miller , to whose watchful maternal mind the Temple and Kew appeared to be in such totally different directions that they presented no connecting suggestions , agreed , unsuspiciously , not to expect her daughter back until after six o'clock . In this way Beatrice secured the whole afternoon to herself to do what she liked with it . She was not slow to make use of it . There was all the pluck of the Esterworths in her veins , together with all the determination and energy which had raised her father 's family from a race of shopkeepers to take their place amongst gentlemen .