a quarter to eight
She had meant to send it to-day , but all this misery and anxiety had put it out of her head . Having dressed thus , to the great astonishment of Janet , she sat down to divert her mind from trouble by Patience . As if to reward her for her stubborn fortitude , the malignity of the cards relented , and she brought out an intricate matter three times running . The clock on her mantelpiece chiming a quarter to eight , surprised her with the lateness of the hour , and recalled to her with a stab of pain that it was dinner-time at Mr. Wyse 's , and at this moment some seven pairs of eager feet were approaching the door . Well , she was dining at a quarter to eight , too ; Janet would enter presently to tell her that her own banquet was ready , and gathering up her cards , she spent a pleasant though regretful minute in looking at herself and the crimson-lake for the last time in her long glass . The tremendous walk in the rain had given her an almost equally high colour . Janet 's foot was heard on the stairs , and she turned away from the glass .