midnight
`` Oh , no , Mrs. Rainham ; really it was n't , '' said Cecilia mildly . `` Your accompaniments , you remember -- your dress -- your music , '' she stopped , in amazement at herself . It was rarely indeed that she answered any accusation of her stepmother 's . But to be on the mat at midnight , with Bob in support , seemed to give her extraordinary courage . `` You see , Mrs. Rainham , there seems to have been quite a number of little details that Cecilia could n't mismanage , '' said Bob , following up the advantage . It was happily evident that his stepmother 's rage was preventing her from speaking , and , as he remarked later , there was no knowing when he would ever get such a chance again . `` She really needed rest .