ten
o'clock
Do n't you think it 's the best way ? ' ` No doubt whatever . ' Mrs. Carnaby smiled , and the smile grew to a laugh ; but she would not explain what she meant by it . On the Wednesday evening , they reached Mrs. Strangeways ' house at ten o'clock . Carriages and cabs made a queue up to the door , and figures succeeded each other rapidly on the red cloth laid down across the pavement . Alma was nervous . More than three years had passed since the fatal evening when , all unconsciously , she said goodbye to social splendours ; from then till now she had taken part in no festivity .