twelve o'clock
And he absolutely put out his arms and embraced her . `` Write a good-natured letter to your mother , and ask her to come up for a week in May . That 'll be the best thing ; and then she 'll understand . By Jove , it 's twelve o'clock . Good-by . '' Lady Dumbello was well aware that she had triumphed , and that her mother 's letter had been invaluable to her . But it had been used , and therefore she did not read it again .