eleven o'clock
All the four young people were in the greatest state of excitement , welcoming , as the heroes of the night , Mark and Mr. Godfrey , and clamouring to be allowed to walk down after breakfast with their father and the gentlemen to see the scene of the catastrophe and the remains of the carriage and the bridge . Sir John made a courteous reference to the governess , but there was a general sense that the cat was away , and presently there was a rush upstairs to prepare for the walk . Annaple had time in the course of all the bustle , while the colour came back to her cheeks for a moment , to tell Mark that her mother had been all that was good , and wanted to see him . He must manage to stay till after eleven o'clock ; she could not be ready before . Then he might come to her sitting-room , which , as well as her bedroom , was on the ground floor . Mark had to work off his anxiety by an inspection of the scene of the disaster and a circumstantial explanation of the details to the young Delmars , who crowded round him and Mr. Godfrey , half awed , half delighted , and indeed the youngest -- a considerable tomboy -- had nearly given the latter the opportunity of becoming a double hero by tumbling through the broken rail , but he caught her in time , and she only incurred from Sir John such a scolding as a great fright will produce from the easiest of fathers . Afterwards Mark put Gerard on the way to his brother-in-law 's living , asking him on the road so many questions about the umbrella business that the youth was not quite sure how to take it , and doubted whether the young swell supposed that he could talk of nothing else ; but his petulance was mitigated when he was asked , ` Supposing a person wished to enter the business , to whom should he apply ? '