nine o'clock
But Veronica did not want Nanna and hot soup . She only wanted to take herself and her awful look away out of Dorothy 's sight . `` Well , '' said Anthony , `` if she 's going to worry herself sick about Nicky now -- '' Frances knew that she was not worrying about Nicky . It was nine o'clock . At any minute now Frank might be there . Dorothy thought : `` Supposing he has n't got leave ? '' But she knew that was not likely .