one o’clock
Lord Martindale , some little time after , put into Violet 's hand an envelope , telling her she must apply the contents to her own use ; and she was astounded at finding it a cheque for £ 100 . He was going to London , with both his sons , to choose a house for Arthur , and to bid farewell to John , who was warned , by a few chilly days , to depart for a winter in Madeira . Violet was , during her husband 's absence , to be left at Rickworth ; and in the last week she had several other presents , a splendid dressing-case from Lady Martindale , containing more implements than she knew how to use , also the print of Lalla Rookh ; and even little Miss Piper had spent much time and trouble on a very ugly cushion . Theodora declared her present should be useful , and gave all the household linen , for the purpose of having it hemmed by her school-children ; -- and this , though she and Miss Piper sat up for three nights till one o'clock to hasten it , was so far from ready , that Captain and Mrs. Martindale would have begun the world without one table-cloth , if old Aunt Moss had not been hemming for them ever since the day of Arthur 's proposal . Theodora was weary and impatient of the conflict of influence , and glad to be left to her own pursuits , while she thought that , alone with Violet , Arthur must surely be brought to a sense of his mistake . Violet 's heart bounded at the prospect of a renewal of the happy days at Winchester , and of a release from the restraint of Martindale , and the disappointment of making no friends with the family , -- Mr. Martindale was the only one of them with whom she was sorry to part ; and she had seen comparatively little of him . Indeed , when the three gentlemen set out , she thought so much of Arthur 's being away for a week , that she could not care for John 's voyage to Madeira , and looked preoccupied when he affectionately wished her good-bye , telling her to watch for him in the spring , -- her house would be his first stage on his return .