about three o'clock
Remember that your guardian , in defiance of his judgment , trusts you fully -- entirely . '' He turned quickly and quitted the library before she could reply , and soon after , hearing the street door close , she knew he had gone to Mrs. Tarrant 's . The letter which Regina wrote that night was earnest , almost passionate , in its appeal that she might be permitted to join her mother ; yet no hint of the _ bête noire _ of the square darkened its contents , for the writer felt that only face to face , eye to eye , could she ask her mother that fearful question , upon which all her future peace depended . Having sealed and addressed the envelope , she extinguished the light , and tried to find in sleep that blessed oblivion which nature mercifully provides for aching hearts and heavily laden brains ; but about three o'clock she heard the carriage at the front door , the voices of the trio ascending the stairs , and once a ringing triumphant laugh which was peculiarly Olga 's , then all grew still in the house , and quiet in the street . Unable to compose herself , tossing restlessly on her bed , with hot throbbing temples and a sore heart Regina wearily listened for the low silvery strokes of the clock , and when it announced half-past three she began to long for daylight . Suddenly , although warned by not even the faintest sound , she became aware that she was not alone ; that a human being was breathing the same atmosphere . Starting into a sitting posture she exclaimed : `` Who is there ? ''