nine o'clock
Val did not follow to place her in ; he positively did not , but left her to the servants . Never in his whole life perhaps had he felt so nettled , never so resolute : the once vacillating , easily-persuaded man , when face to face with people , was speedily finding the will he had only exercised behind their backs . He rang the bell for Hedges . `` Her ladyship has ordered dinner for nine o'clock , '' he said , when the butler appeared . `` I believe so , my lord . '' `` It will be inconvenient to me to wait so long to-day . I shall dine at seven .