three o'clock
Kent lifted Lydia to the ground , held both of her hands , started to speak , then with a half inarticulate , `` Thank you , Lydia , and good-by till to-morrow , '' he jumped into the little car and was gone . For some reason , when she woke the next morning , Lydia half hoped that the soft patter against her window was of rain drops . But it was the wind-tossed maple leaves , whose scarlet and gold were drifting deep on the lawn and garden . There never was a more brilliant October day than this , and at three o'clock , Lydia and Kent set off down the road to the Willows . Lizzie watched them from the living-room window . `` They 're a handsome pair , Amos , '' she said . `` Now are n't they ? ''