a few minutes before ten o’clock
`` You shall have a celebrity -- a real one -- none of your mouldy old Germans -- if I can only get him to come . If any of her people do n't like him they can tell him so . Eh , Bedford ? '' Next evening , Lydia and Alice reached Mrs. Hoskyn 's house in Campden Hill Road a few minutes before ten o'clock . They found Lord Worthington in the front garden , smoking and chatting with Mr. Hoskyn . He threw away his cigar and returned to the house with the two ladies , who observed that he was somewhat flushed with wine . They went into a parlor to take off their wraps , leaving him at the foot of the stairs .