the hour of two
She prayed to Heaven silently that Claire 's lover , whoever he might be , was marrying her for love , and for love alone . So restless was she that , despite the quieting draught which the housekeeper had induced her to swallow , she could not sleep . But one thing remained for her to do , and that was to get up and dress and go down to her father 's library and read herself into forgetfulness until day dawned . Faynie acted upon the impulse , noting as she stepped from her room into the corridor that the clock on her mantel chimed the hour of two . She had proceeded scarcely half a dozen steps ere she became aware that she was not alone in the corridor . She stopped short . The time was when Faynie would have shrieked aloud or swooned from terror ; but she had gone through so many thrilling scenes during the last few weeks of her eventful young life that fear within her breast had quite died out .