five o'clock
Society flowed through her house without any obstructions . It was scarcely ever too early and never too late for visitors . Those who were intimate used to lounge in and take up a book , or pass an hour on the veranda , even when none of the family were at home . Men had a habit of dropping in for a five o'clock cup of tea , and where the men went the women needed little urging to follow . At first there had been some reluctance about recognizing the Eschelles fully , and there were still houses that exhibited a certain reserve towards them , but the example of going to this house set by the legations , the members of which enjoyed a chat with Miss Eschelle in the freedom of their own tongues and the freedom of her tongue , went far to break down this barrier . They were spoken of occasionally as `` those Eschelles , '' but almost everybody went there , and perhaps enjoyed it all the more because there had been a shade of doubt about it . Margaret 's coming was a good card for Carmen .