eight o'clock in the evening
She told him a great deal ; she told him that the present owner of the Abbey never had been liked , and never would be liked : for his stern and gloomy manner was so unlike his father 's easy , affable good-nature , that people were always drawing comparisons between the dead man and the living . This , in a few words , is the substance of what the worthy woman said in a good many words . Mrs. Grumbleton gave Clement all the information he required as to the banker 's daily movements at the present time . Henry Dunbar was now in the habit of rising about two o'clock in the day , at which time he was assisted from his bedroom to his sitting-room , where he remained until seven or eight o'clock in the evening . He had no visitors , except the surgeon , Mr. Daphney , who lived in the Abbey , and a gentleman called Vernon , who had bought Woodbine Cottage , near Lisford , and who now and then was admitted to Mr. Dunbar 's sitting-room . This was all Clement Austin wanted to know . Surely it might be possible , with a little clever management , to throw the banker completely off his guard , and to bring about the long-delayed interview between him and Margaret Wilmot .