the hour of five
I , too , might add my testimony and thus furnish enough evidence to convince any reasonable person that Frances had not been kidnapped , but had remained safe and well in her father 's house through all this terrible night . Just as soon as our plans were completed , I left my uncle 's house and took another coach for Charing Cross , dismissed the coach , ran down to Whitehall , and climbed over the balcony to my closet , glad to find myself once more at home . I did not permit myself to sleep , but rose at the usual hours and was at my post ready for duty when the others arrived . I soon learned that the king had been away from the palace all night , having left in a coach near the hour of five the preceding afternoon , so that he must have been not far ahead of George , Betty , and me on the way to Merlin House . When I learned that he was away , and that I would not be needed that morning at the Wardrobe , I went to seek Frances . Before ten o'clock , the hour at which the maids assembled to greet the duchess in her closet , Frances was on hand , looking pale , and explaining that she had been ill at her father 's house over night . Near the hour of four that afternoon , while I was looking out the window , I saw a coach approach from the direction of Charing Cross , and seemed to know that the king was in it .