six o'clock
It was almost with a secret relief that Lucy started , and Eleanor saw her depart . Mrs. Burgoyne was left stretched on her long canvas chair , in the green shade of the Sassetto . All about her was a chaos of moss-grown rocks crowned with trees young and old ; a gap in the branches showed her a distant peachy sky suffused with gold above the ethereal heights of the Amiata range ; a little wind crept through the trees ; the birds were silent , but the large green lizards slipped in and out , and made a friendly life in the cool shadowed place . The Contessa was to have joined Eleanor here at six o'clock . But a note had arrived excusing her . The visit of some relations detained her . Nevertheless a little after six a step was heard approaching along the winding path which while it was still distant Eleanor knew to be Father Benecke .