eight in the morning
She was aware , too , that with all his sporting tastes and modern irreverence of tradition , underneath he was of a proud , reserved nature , intensely proud of the honor of his ancient name . What then could be the reason for this engagement ? Well , she would soon know . It was half-past eight in the morning , and Tristram 's `` about ten '' would not mean later than , half-past , or a quarter to eleven . She rang the bell for her maid , and told her to ask the young ladies to put on dressing-gowns and come to her . Soon Lord Tancred 's two sisters entered the room . They were nice , fresh English girls , and stood a good deal in awe of their mother .