about nine o'clock
Daisy knew her way down the familiar and straggling village street , but there were one or two different roads to Shortlands , and she became puzzled which to take , and what with the drizzling rain , and her own great fatigue of body , soon really lost her way . An early laborer going to work was the first person she met . She asked him eagerly if she was on the right road ; but he answered her so gruffly that she instantly thought he must be a relation of Mr. Dove 's and ran , crying and trembling , away from him . The next person she came across was a little boy of about her own age , and he was kind , and took her hand , and put her once more in the right direction , so that , foot-sore and weary , the poor little traveller did reach the lodge-gates of Shortlands about nine o'clock . But here the bitterest of her disappointments awaited her , for the woman who attended to the gates said , in a cold and unsympathizing voice , that the family were now in London , and there was no use whatever in little miss troubling herself to go up to the house . No use at all , the woman repeated , for she could not tell when the family would return , probably not for several weeks . Daisy did not ask any more questions , but turned away from the inhospitable gates with a queer sinking in her heart , and a great dizziness before her eyes .