Six o'clock
It hurt him , as a sacrilege , to hear a daughter speak thus of her mother ; yet he knew well , from facts which were common knowledge , how little cause the sweet , lovable woman at his side had to consider the tie either a sacred or a tender one . He had come to help , not to find fault . Also , the minute-hand was hastening towards the hour ; and the final instructions of the kind-hearted old Duchess of Meldrum , as she parted from him at the War Office , had been : `` Remember ! Six o'clock from London . I shall _ insist _ upon its being kept back until then . If they make difficulties , I shall camp in the entrance and ` hold up ' every messenger who attempts to pass out . But I am accustomed to have my own way with these good people .