Seven o'clock
At four o'clock Mrs. Walters came in with an armful of flowers from Christopher and the two women talked of indifferent things over their tea . Then they went for a drive in the park and Penelope returned blooming like a lovely rose ; but not one word did she breathe of her deeper thoughts . Seraphine waited . Seven o'clock ! At last the barrier of pride and reserve began to crumble . Penelope turned to her old friend , trying at first to speak lightly , but her troubled eyes told the story of tension within . Then came the confession -- in broken words .