a quarter to five
And then , when in a spot so wild and lonely that it might have been a hundred miles from a town -- though it was only some ten miles from Beechfield -- something went wrong with the engine of the car . Janet had proposed that tea should be at five o'clock , so as to give the visitor plenty of time to arrive . But from four onwards , all the younger folk were in a state of excitement and expectation -- Timmy running constantly in and out of the house , rushing to the gate , from whence a long stretch of road could be seen , till his constant gyrations got on his mother 's nerves , and she sharply ordered him to come in and be quiet . At a quarter to five the telephone bell rang and Jack languidly went to answer it . Then he came back into the drawing-room . `` Radmore 's had a breakdown , '' he said briefly , `` he 's afraid he ca n't get here till seven . '' Here was a disappointing anti-climax !