About ten o'clock
And the footman stated , with undisguised amazement , that the shabby young man was actually sitting at the same table with master ! Elizabeth smiled to herself and held her tongue . Now , as ever , she always kept the secrets of the family . About ten o'clock she was summoned to the dining-room . There stood Peter Ascott , pompous as ever , but with a certain kindly good-humor lightening up his heavy face , looking condescendingly around him , and occasionally rubbing his hands slowly together , as if he were exceedingly well pleased with himself . There stood Ascott Leaf , looking bright and handsome , in spite of his shabbiness , and quite at his ease -- which small peculiarity was never likely to be knocked out of him under the most depressing circumstances . He shook hands with Elizabeth warmly .