ten o'clock
Never your lover , but your best friend for ever , '' and she opened the gate and disappeared . Mr. and Mrs. Furze were not disturbed because their daughter was late . A neighbour told them that she had gone to the Rectory with Mr. and Mrs. Cardew , and Mrs. Furze was pleased that Eastthorpe should behold her daughter apparently on intimate terms with a clergyman so well known and so respectable . But it was ten o'clock , and they wished to be in bed . Mrs. Furze had gone to the window , and had partly pushed aside the blind , watching till Catharine should appear . Just as the clock struck she saw Catharine approaching with somebody whom she of course took for Mr. Cardew . The pair came nearer , and , to her astonishment , she recognised Tom .