twelve o'clock
On the surface , however , all was serenity . Eva accepted Toni 's companionship with outward gratitude , and when once Herrick was satisfied that Toni knew what she was doing , he put no obstacles in the way of their better acquaintance . Afterwards he told himself that he should have known better than to allow his wife to take advantage of Toni 's unworldliness ; but at the moment he was only too glad to find Eva apparently sincere in her liking for the simple-hearted Toni ; and assuming , naturally , that Owen did not disapprove of the growing intimacy , he watched the affair with a gratitude made natural by his intense pity for his wife . One day Mrs. Herrick asked Toni to accompany her to Sutton , where she had made an appointment for twelve o'clock . It appeared that she had suffered agonies of toothache while in prison , and although the authorities had done all they could for her , she was again in urgent need of a dentist 's services . She had been informed of the arrival of a new practitioner in the little town , who came from a London practice ; and to Toni 's mingled surprise and dismay she found herself invited to accompany Mrs. Herrick on a visit to Mr. Dowson 's surgery . On the spur of the moment she confessed to a previous acquaintance with Mr. Dowson ; and Eva thereupon plied her with questions as to his proficiency in his work .