nearly six o'clock
After this , the two men parted , and Reginald Eversleigh called a cab , in which he drove down to Hilton House . He might have stayed away much longer , in self-interested obedience to Carrington , had he been sure of Paulina 's unabated devotion ; but he was piqued by her silence , and he wanted to discover whether there was a rival in the field . He knew Madame Durski 's habits , and that it was not till late in the afternoon that she was to be seen . It was nearly six o'clock when he drove up to the door of Hilton House . Carlo Toas admitted him , and favoured him with a searching and somewhat severe scrutiny , as he led the way to the drawing-room in which Paulina was wont to receive her guests . Here Sir Reginald felt some little surprise , and a touch of mortification , on beholding the aspect of things . He had expected to find Paulina pensive , unhappy , perhaps ill .