the
afternoon about five o'clock
At dinner Mrs. Masters would hardly speak to her husband but addressed herself exclusively to Dolly and Kate . Mr. Masters was not a man who could , usually , stand this kind of thing very long and was accustomed to give up in despair and then take himself off to the solace of his office-chair . But on the present occasion he went through his meal like a Spartan , and retired from the room without a sign of surrender . In the afternoon about five o'clock Mary watched her opportunity and found him again alone . It was incumbent on her to reply to Lady Ushant . Would it not be better that she should write and say how sorry she was that she could not come ? `` But I want you to go , '' said he .