nearly ten o'clock
She beheld Jarvis pacing up and down the hall , and as she looked saw him take his watch out and scan its face as if he had an appointment to keep . She stood still , her pulses beating rather quickly . This was not exactly the sort of home-coming she had planned , this reception by one person . But it was nearly ten o'clock already , she had managed to consume so much time upstairs . Also , upon Joanna 's return to her room to inquire if there were anything else she wanted , the young mistress of the house had imperatively commanded the presence in the living-room of the middle-aged housekeeper until such time as Max and the boys should arrive . Joanna , with her neat black dress and smooth hair , was certainly fitted in appearance for the duties of duenna , and Sally had felt no hesitation whatever in requiring her to assume that rôle . So Joanna now waited in the living-room -- rather reluctantly , it must be admitted , for it seemed to her that this was carrying chaperonage unnecessarily far .