three o'clock in the afternoon
It was one of the most beautiful days of the year , with a hint of summer in its light and shadow , a shimmer of golden sun shaking through the trees in the orchard , flung from there on to the windows of The Roundabout , to dance in twisting lines along the floors and across the walls . All doors and windows seemed to be open ; the scent of flowers -- a prophecy of pinks and roses where as yet there were none -- flooded the little Chelsea streets . The Velasquez on the walls of The Roundabout danced in her stiff skirts , looking down upon a room bathed in green and gold shadow . It was three o'clock in the afternoon and Peter was going out to buy Clare a present . He had seen a ruby pendant many months ago in a window in Bond Street . He had thought of it for Clare but he had known that , with young Stephen 's education and the rest of the kid 's expenses , he could not dare to afford it . Now ... things were different .