nine o'clock
At half-past two in the morning she heard the opening and shutting of the front door , and her father 's footsteps on the stairs as he came up to bed . There seemed to her something uncanny in these nocturnal habits . The life of a journalist , of a literary man , of anybody who did any definite work in the world at all , was quite unknown to her . She came down to breakfast at nine o'clock , feeling weary and depressed . Miss Brooke was kind but preoccupied ; she had a committee at twelve , she said , and another at four , so she would be obliged to leave Lesley for the greater part of the day . `` But you will have your own little arrangements to make you know , '' she said , `` and Sarah will show you or tell you anything you want . You might as well fall into our ways as soon as you can . ''