ten o'clock
Still , if the cutting of cards malignantly ordained that Miss Mapp was ejected , it was only reasonable to expect that after her magnanimity to the United Services , either Major Benjy or Captain Puffin would be so obdurate in his insistence that she must play instead of him , that it would be only ladylike to yield . She did not , therefore , allow this possibility to dim the pleasure she anticipated from the discomfiture of darling Diva , who would be certain to appear in the kingfisher-blue tea-gown , and find herself ghastly and outshone by the crimson-lake which was the colour of Mrs. Trout 's second toilet , and Miss Mapp , after prolonged thought as to her most dramatic moment of entrance in the crimson-lake , determined to arrive when she might expect the rest of the guests to have already assembled . She would risk , it is true , being out of a rubber for a little , since bridge might have already begun , but play would have to stop for a minute of greetings when she came in , and she would beg everybody not to stir , and would seat herself quite , quite close to Diva , and openly admire her pretty frock , `` like one I used to have ... ! '' It was , therefore , not much lacking of ten o'clock when , after she had waited a considerable time on Mrs. Poppit 's threshold , Boon sulkily allowed her to enter , but gave no answer to her timid inquiry of : `` Am I very late , Boon ? '' The drawing-room door was a little ajar , and as she took off the cloak that masked the splendour of the crimson-lake , her acute ears heard the murmur of talk going on , which indicated that bridge had not yet begun , while her acute nostrils detected the faint but certain smell of roast grouse , which showed what Susan had given Mr. Wyse for dinner , probably telling him that the birds were a present to her from the shooting-lodge where she had stayed in the summer . Then , after she had thrown herself a glance in the mirror , and put on her smile , Boon preceded her , slightly shrugging his shoulders , to the drawing-room door , which he pushed open , and grunted loudly , which was his manner of announcing a guest . Miss Mapp went tripping in , almost at a run , to indicate how vexed she was with herself for being late , and there , just in front of her , stood Diva , dressed not in kingfisher-blue at all , but in the crimson-lake of Mrs. Trout 's second toilet .