half past seven
He had never recollected it since , not even when Henry had told him the lady of his heart was called Howard -- obscured by his friend 's assertion that her husband was an American , he had not for an instant suspected the least connection with himself . Until he could find out the meaning of all this comedy , he must not let Henry have an idea that there was anything underneath ; and then with a pang of mortification and pain he remembered his promise to Henry -- and he clenched his hands in his coat pockets , he was indeed tied and bound . Sabine for her part felt she could bear the situation no longer ; she must be alone -- so on the plea of letters to write , she dismissed them with Madame Imogen to show them to their rooms in the other part of the house which was connected to this , her two great turrets and middle immense room , by a passage which went along from the turret which contained her bedroom . `` You wo n't mind , perhaps , dining at half past seven ? '' she said as she paused at her door , `` because our good Curé , Père Anselme is coming , and he hates to sit up late . '' And with the corner of his eye , Michael saw that before he hurried after him , Henry had bent and surreptitiously kissed his hostess ' hand -- and a sudden blinding , unreasoning rage shook him as he stalked on to his allotted apartment . Sabine decided to be a little late for dinner -- three minutes , just to give the rest of the party time to be assembled in the big salon .