four o’clock
The great oaks that skirted the wood stretched bare wintry boughs over the flowers beneath them . It was a time of hope , of delicate , exquisite promise ; and Rhoda 's lips curved with a happy , dreamy smile , as she listened to the story the woods whispered to her that April day . The deep voice of the clock in Bingley church tower recalled her to the necessity of going back to her companions . It was four o'clock , the time they had fixed for starting homewards . It was not with any pleasure that she thought of the long drive . She suspected that Pauline and Rose had had a serious quarrel , and that Pauline 's politeness to her arose from a wish to vex Rose . All the way to the woods Pauline had criticised Rose 's driving , speaking with authority , as if she had driven a pony carriage all her life .