five o'clock
Victoria was now twenty-one , and was not only of another generation , but might almost have been judged of another race than her parents . The things for which her mother had striven she took for granted , and thought of them not at all , and she had by nature that simplicity and astonishing frankness of manner and speech which was once believed to be an exclusive privilege of duchesses . To return to Fairview . Victoria , after sharing her five o'clock luncheon with her dogs , went to seek her father , for the purpose -LRB- if it must be told -RRB- of asking him for a cheque . Mr. Flint was at Fairview on the average of two days out of the week during the summer , and then he was nearly always closeted with a secretary and two stenographers and a long-distance telephone in two plain little rooms at the back of the house . And Mr. Hilary Vane was often in consultation with him , as he was on the present occasion when Victoria flung open the door . At sight of Mr. Vane she halted suddenly on the threshold , and a gleam of mischief came into her eye as she thrust her hand into her coat pocket .