about six o’clock
The end of it was that as I did not wish to write a long letter entering into all that Lady Ragnall had told me , I sent her a telegram , saying that if convenient to her , I would arrive at the Castle on the following Saturday evening and adding that I must be back here on the Tuesday afternoon , as I had guests coming to stay with me on that day . This was perfectly true as the season was mid-November and I was to begin shooting my coverts on the Wednesday morning , a function that once fixed , can not be postponed . In due course an answer arrived -- `` Delighted , but hoped that you would have been able to stay longer . '' Behold me then about six o'clock on the said Saturday evening being once more whirled by a splendid pair of horses through the gateway arch of Ragnall Castle . The carriage stopped beneath the portico , the great doors flew open revealing the glow of the hall fire and lights within , the footman sprang down from the box and two other footmen descended the steps to assist me and my belongings out of the carriage . These , I remember , consisted of a handbag with my dress clothes and a yellow-backed novel . So one of them took the handbag and the other had to content himself with the novel , which made me wish I had brought a portmanteau as well , if only for the look of the thing .