nine o’clock
` Never mind , Maurice , ' said Albinia ; ` in any other circumstances we should think three hours of each other a great boon . ' ` If anything could be an aggravation , it would be to see Albinia philosophical . ' ` You make me so on the principle of the Helots and Spartans . ' It was possible to get to Hadminster by half-past seven , and on to Bayford by nine o'clock , but Fairmead lay further from the line , and the next train did not stop at the nearest station , so Maurice agreed to sleep at Bayford that night ; and this settled , set out with his sister to explore the neighbourhood for eatables and church architecture . They made an ineffectual attempt to rouse Mr. Kendal to go with them , but he was far too deep in his book , and only muttered something about looking after the luggage . They found a stale loaf of bread , and a hideous church , but it was a merry walk , and brought them back in their liveliest mood , which lasted even to pronouncing it ` great fun ' that the Hadminster flies were all at a ball , and that the omnibus must convey them home by the full moonlight . Slowly the omnibus rumbled over the wooden bridge , and then with a sudden impulse it thundered up to the front door .