about
five o’clock in the afternoon
Katharine murmured , under her breath . Her tone had a hint of tragedy in it , but no less , Ralph thought , than the situation required . She addressed the larger lady as Aunt Millicent ; the smaller was Aunt Celia , Mrs. Milvain , who had lately undertaken the task of marrying Cyril to his wife . Both ladies , but Mrs. Cosham -LRB- Aunt Millicent -RRB- in particular , had that look of heightened , smoothed , incarnadined existence which is proper to elderly ladies paying calls in London about five o'clock in the afternoon . Portraits by Romney , seen through glass , have something of their pink , mellow look , their blooming softness , as of apricots hanging upon a red wall in the afternoon sun . Mrs. Cosham was so appareled with hanging muffs , chains , and swinging draperies that it was impossible to detect the shape of a human being in the mass of brown and black which filled the arm-chair . Mrs. Milvain was a much slighter figure ; but the same doubt as to the precise lines of her contour filled Ralph , as he regarded them , with dismal foreboding .