nine o'clock
For never had she looked so bewilderingly lovely . Her beauty appeared to fill the room , and the calm , confident authority with which she ordered and decided events , touched him with admiring astonishment . What she would become , when _ he _ gave her the opportunity , he could not imagine . At nine o'clock there was a sideboard supper from a long table at one side of the hall , loaded with cold meats , pastry , and cake . Every young man took what his partner desired , and carried it to her . Then when the women were served , the men helped themselves , and stood eating and talking with the merry , chattering groups for a pleasant half-hour , which gave to the last dances and songs even more than their early enthusiasm . Angus waited on Christine and Faith , and Faith 's admirer had quite a flush of vanity , in supposing himself to have cut the Master of Ballister out .