five o'clock
At length , she murmured , watching him attentively : `` You did n't tell me she was so strikingly beautiful , Simon . '' He felt slightly embarrassed . Looking her straight in the eyes , he replied : `` I had no occasion to tell you , Isabel . '' At five o'clock that afternoon , the French and British troops being now in touch , it was decided that Lord Bakefield and his daughter should make part of an English convoy which was returning to Hastings and which had a motor-ambulance at its disposal . Simon took leave of them , after asking Lord Bakefield 's permission to call on him at an early date . Simon considered that his mission was not yet completed in these days of confusion . Indeed , before the afternoon was over , an aeroplane alighted in sight of the camp and the captain was asked to send immediately reinforcements , as a conflict appeared inevitable between the French and a British detachment , both of which had planted their colours on a ridge overlooking the whole country .