four o'clock
Madeleine reached the streets of straggling homes and those long impersonal rows depressing in their middle-class respectability , and lowered the veil over her smarting eyes . She also squared her shoulders and strode along with an independent swing that must convince the most investigating mind she was walking for exercise only . Almost unconsciously she directed her steps toward the Cliff House Road where she had driven occasionally behind the doctor 's spanking team . It was four o'clock when she entered it and the wind had fallen . The road was thronged with buggies , tandems , hacks , phaetons , and four-in-hands . Society might be out of town but the still gayer world was not . Madeleine , skirting the edge of the road to avoid disaster stared eagerly behind her veil .