ten o'clock
But I am thinking now of the time before the Great Affair . It really was a strain wondering what it would be like , and whether it would be a grand success , or whether it would fall short of all the brilliant expectations , when the mystery should be revealed . At last the night came . The invitations were for ten o'clock , and people could not resist the temptation to come soon after the hour , and begin . Mrs. Ess Kay stood in the Early English drawing-room -LRB- that 's the style it 's furnished in , or she believes it is -RRB- receiving without a mask , and dressed to represent Queen Margaret of Navarre , from whom she says that she is descended . She had another dress to put on afterwards , so that none of the guests would recognise her , and she could have fun with the rest , but no one knew about that except Sally and Potter , and me . We others did n't appear at first , because we had no costumes to change with , but by and by , when a lot of people had arrived , we mingled with them .