about four o'clock
Mr. Whitelaw exhibited an unwonted liberality upon this occasion . The dinner was a ponderous banquet , and the dessert a noble display of nuts and oranges , figs and almonds and raisins , flanked by two old-fashioned decanters of port and sherry ; and both the bailiff and his host did ample justice to the feast . It was a long dreary afternoon of eating and drinking ; and Ellen was not sorry to get away from the prim wainscoted parlour , where her father and Mr. Whitelaw were solemnly sipping their wine , to wander over the house with Mrs. Tadman . It was about four o'clock when she slipped quietly out of the room at that lady 's invitation , and the lobbies and long passages had a shadowy look in the declining light . There was light enough for her to see the rooms , however ; for there were no rare collections of old china , no pictures or adornments of any kind , to need a minute inspection . `` It 's a fine old place , is n't it ? '' asked Mrs. Tadman .