nine o'clock
Her reaction asserted itself in her child . At thirteen Zoe wore straight frocks of navy-blue alpaca with wide patent-leather belts and deep Eton collars . They were mistaken sometimes , and , strangely enough , to Lilly 's invariable chagrin , for sisters , and Lilly , in her refutation , could be smitingly swift . At nine o'clock , to the staccato of three rings , she admitted Bruce Visigoth , leading him down the tube of hallway . It annoyed her unspeakably that Harry Calvert , collarless , poked out his head from a doorway as they passed , and she was suddenly conscious of the smell of stew . She had meant to burn an incense stick . But she walked with that free , Hellenic stride of hers , without apology and ahead of him .