five o’clock
After certain struggles with himself , Richard had told his mother that Alice must in future dress ` as a lady ' ; he authorised her to procure the services of a competent dressmaker , and , within the bounds of moderation , to expend freely . And the result was on the whole satisfactory . A girl of good figure , pretty face , and moderate wit , who has spent some years in a City showroom , does not need much instruction in the art of wearing fashionable attire becomingly . Alice wore this evening a gown which would not have been out of place at five o'clock in a West-end drawing-room ; the sleeves were rather short , sufficiently so to exhibit a very shapely lower arm . She had discovered new ways of doing her hair ; at present it was braided on either side of the forehead -- a style which gave almost a thoughtful air to her face . When her brother entered she was eating a piece of sponge-cake , which she held to her lips with peculiar delicacy , as if rehearsing graces . ` Why , there now ! '