twelve o'clock
The next moment he was quietly apologizing in his usual tone to Lady Scapegrace for `` spoiling her beautiful transparency , '' and parrying her thanks and encomiums on his courage and presence of mind with an assurance that he `` only pulled it down because he happened to be directly under it ; '' but he could not help turning to me and saying , -- `` Kate , I hope you were not much frightened . '' The words were not much , but they were uttered in the old kind voice ; they rung in my ears all the evening , and I went to bed happier than I ever thought I could have been after such a day . The Sunday at Scamperley , I am sorry to say , was hardly observed with that degree of respect and strictness which is due to the one sacred day of the week . Very few people went to morning service , as indeed the late hours overnight kept most of us in our rooms till eleven or twelve o'clock , when we dawdled down to a breakfast that seemed to lengthen itself out till luncheon-time . To be sure , when the latter meal had been discussed , and we had marked our reverence for the day by a conversation in which we expressed our disapproval of the personal appearance , faults and foibles , and general character of our friends , some of us would declare an intention of attending afternoon church ; on which subject much discussion would arise , and the probability of the weather holding up would be volubly commented on -- the church being situated about a quarter of a mile from the house , and the way to it through the Park being so completely sheltered by evergreens that to have got wet , save in a downright _ pour _ of rain , was next to impossible . At last we would get under way -- the ladies mincing along with their magnificently covered prayer-books , affecting an air of unwilling decorum ; the dandies carrying cloaks , shawls , and umbrellas for their respective goddesses , and following them , so to speak , under protest , as if there was something to be ashamed of in the whole proceeding . Lady Scapegrace always went early , and quite by herself ; she sat apart , too , from her guests and relatives .