nine o'clock
The Duke of Hereward had wonderful powers of self-control . He read the fatal letter through to the bitter end . Then he folded it up carefully , and locked it up in a cabinet for safe-keeping . And when , fifteen minutes later , his valet came to tell him that it was nine o'clock , and his bath was ready , no one could have guessed from his looks that a storm had passed through his soul . He was rather pale , certainly ; but that might well be explained by the fatigue of a long night 's journey , and his gray mustache and beard concealed the close compression of his lips . He went through his morning toilet and his breakfast with apparently his usual composure . After breakfast , however , he instituted a cautious but close investigation of the circumstances attending the flight of the duchess .