four
o'clock
I envy you having such a lovely home . '' Hilary elevated her eyebrows in doubtful fashion . `` In summer it is perfectly delightful , but I do n't like country places in winter . We are two miles from a village , and three miles from the nearest station , so you can imagine how quiet it is , when it gets dark soon after four o'clock , and the lanes are thick with snow . I was glad to come back to London for a change . This is the first grown-up party I have been to in my life . '' Mr Rayner smiled a little , repeating her words and lingering with enjoyment on the childish expression .