a quarter past five
She removed it , and hid it away in one of her own secret places . After she had made preparations to get ready some invalid 's food at short notice , she went downstairs . She went downstairs without any definite purpose -- merely because activity of some kind was absolutely necessary to her . The clock in the lobby showed dimly a quarter past five . In the chilly twilit kitchen the green-lined silver-basket lay on the table in front of the window , placed there by a thoughtful and conscientious Mrs. Tams . On the previous morning Rachel had given very precise orders about the silver -LRB- as the workaday electro-plate was called -RRB- , but owing to the astounding events of the day the orders had not been executed . Mrs. Tams had evidently determined to carry them out at an early hour .