seven o'clock
When she had finished dressing , as she stood before the mirror to take a final survey , she addressed a parting remark to the figure in the glass : -- `` It wo n't do you any good to go on bothering this way . You have n't anything to do now but go down to dinner and be as charming as possible , particularly to Mr. McNally , whom you cordially detest . When the time comes to do something , I hope you 'll do it right . '' It was just seven o'clock when she came down the stairs to be informed by the butler that the gentlemen had not come home yet , and should he serve dinner at once ? Katherine waited nearly half an hour , trying to amuse herself with a very pictorial magazine , and , finding that tiresome , by playing coon songs at the piano . But the piano reminded her of Mr. McNally , and she did n't want to think of him ; so giving up trying to wait she ordered dinner . Dining alone when you have made up your mind to it beforehand is not an unmixed evil ; but in Katherine 's frame of mind it was about as irritating as anything could be .