About ten o'clock
On Monday morning , Mrs. Darlington was nervous . This was the day on which Mr. Scragg and family were to arrive , and she felt that there would be trouble . Mr. Ring , and the other gentlemen boarders , left soon after breakfast . About ten o'clock , the door-bell rang . Mrs. Darlington was in her room at the time changing her dress . Thinking that this might be the announcement of Mr. Scragg 's arrival , she hurried through her dressing in order to get down to the parlour as quickly as possible to meet him and the difficulty that was to be encountered ; but before she was in a condition to be seen , she heard a man 's voice on the stairs , saying -- `` Walk up , my dear . The rooms on the second floor are ours . ''