nearly ten o'clock
Take that to your heart , and do n't blame yourself for one moment more . '' She lay back in the chair again , relaxing a little under the firm words . `` Shall I go now and send Mrs. Macauley ? It is nearly ten o'clock , time we were letting them know . But before I go let me tell you one thing , then I will say no more to-night . There is no more now to come between us than there was a year ago when -- listen , Charlotte -- we knew -- we both knew -- that we belonged to each other , and nothing waited but the spoken word . I dare to say this to you , for I am sure , in my inmost soul , that you know as well as I do where we stood at that time .