three o’clock
before
We arranged that he was to ride over , after lunch , to Frizinghall , and bring the Diamond back , with Mr. Godfrey and the two young ladies , in all probability , to keep him company on the way home again . This settled , our young gentleman went back to Miss Rachel . They consumed the whole morning , and part of the afternoon , in the everlasting business of decorating the door , Penelope standing by to mix the colours , as directed ; and my lady , as luncheon time drew near , going in and out of the room , with her handkerchief to her nose -LRB- for they used a deal of Mr. Franklin 's vehicle that day -RRB- , and trying vainly to get the two artists away from their work . It was three o'clock before they took off their aprons , and released Penelope -LRB- much the worse for the vehicle -RRB- , and cleaned themselves of their mess . But they had done what they wanted -- they had finished the door on the birthday , and proud enough they were of it . The griffins , cupids , and so on , were , I must own , most beautiful to behold ; though so many in number , so entangled in flowers and devices , and so topsy-turvy in their actions and attitudes , that you felt them unpleasantly in your head for hours after you had done with the pleasure of looking at them . If I add that Penelope ended her part of the morning 's work by being sick in the back-kitchen , it is in no unfriendly spirit towards the vehicle .