three in the afternoon
Standing on the bank of Bale Water -LRB- thus was it named -RRB- , he could see the topmost branches of that pear-tree which grew in the garden behind Mrs. Wade 's cottage ; two meadows lay between -- a stretch of about a quarter of a mile . It was scarcely the hour for calling upon ladies , but he knew that Mrs. Wade sat among her books through the morning , and he wished especially to see her as soon as possible . Polterham clocks were counting eleven as he presented himself at the door of the cottage . Once already he had paid a call here , not many days after his meeting with the widow in Mr. Hornibrook 's library ; he came at three in the afternoon , and sat talking till nearly six . Not a few Polterham matrons would have considered that proceeding highly improper , but such a thought never occurred to Denzil ; and Mrs. Wade would have spoken her mind very distinctly to any one who wished to circumscribe female freedom in such respects . They had conversed on a great variety of subjects with unflagging animation . Since then he had not seen his acquaintance .