nine o'clock
Gibbie signed that he could not tell her about it there , but would go and take tea with her in the evening . `` I 'm sorry I canna be hame sae ear ' , '' she replied . `` I promised to tak my dish o ' tay wi ' auld Mistress Green -- the kail-wife , ye ken , Sir Gibbie . '' -- Gibbie nodded and she resumed : -- `` But gien ye wad tak a lug o ' a Fin ` on haddie wi ' me at nine o'clock , I wad be prood . '' Gibbie nodded again , and left her . All this time he had not happened to discover that the lady who stood at the next counter , not more than a couple of yards from him , was Miss Kimble -- which was the less surprising in that the lady took some trouble to hide the fact . She extended her purchasing when she saw who was shaking hands with the next stall-keeper , but kept her face turned from him , heard all Mrs. Croale said to him , and went away asking herself what possible relations except objectionable ones could exist between such a pair .