About half past eight
Then gathering up her hat and coat she went into her own apartments . Mortimer picked up a cheap magazine , looked over the portraits of the actresses , then , hunching up into a comfortable position , settled himself to read the theatrical comment . Later , Lydia not appearing , and his own valet arriving to turn on the electricity , bring him his White Rock and Irish and the Evening Telegraph , he hoisted his legs into another chair and sprawled there luxuriously over his paper until it was time to dress . About half past eight they dined in a white and pink dining-room furnished in dull gray walnut , and served by a stealthy , white-haired , pink-skinned butler , chiefly remarkable because it seemed utterly impossible to get a glimpse of his eyes . Nobody could tell whether there was anything the matter with them or not -- and whether they were only very deep set or were weak , like an albino 's , or were slightly crossed , the guests of the house never knew . Lydia herself did n't know , and had given up trying to find out . They had planned to go for a spin in Mortimer 's motor after dinner , but in view of the Quarrier fiasco neither was in the mood for anything .