About two o'clock in the afternoon
Then they went into the hall , and as had been agreed between them , together the brethren gave their Christmas gifts to Rosamund . She thanked them prettily enough , and much admired the beauty of the work . When they told her that it had not yet been paid for , she laughed and said that , however they were come by , she would wear both tunic and veil at their feast , which was to be held at nightfall . About two o'clock in the afternoon a servant came into the hall to say that a wain drawn by three horses and accompanied by two men , one of whom led the horses , was coming down the road from Steeple village . `` Our merchant -- and in time after all , '' said Wulf , and , followed by the others , he went out to meet them . Georgios it was , sure enough , wrapped in a great sheepskin cloak such as Cypriotes wear in winter , and seated on the head of one of his own barrels . `` Your pardon , knights , '' he said as he scrambled nimbly to the ground .