nearly eleven o'clock
From the time Fanny Clarmont has appeared like a ghost of the departed , Delrose determined to get rid of the bother of it all by going at once to Rose Cottage ; the huntress to whom he had been engaged for the first dance he handed over to Tedril . He would write Kate from the cottage , but first , he would punish her for torturing him , by lingering with Trevalyon and giving her smiles to Lord Rivers , by a public little speech as to his leave-taking , and keep her preoccupied by his avowal as to who was to accompany him , -LRB- she knowing naught of their relationship -RRB- as to give her no taste for flirtation . -LRB- Simple Simon could not read her , she is a woman ! -RRB- `` It is now nearly eleven o'clock , I shall keep her in suspense for half an hour or so , then she is mine . Gad ! I have won a prize , a fierce , passionate , untamable , flesh-and-blood beauty , full of love or full of hate , strong in body , mind and appetite ; and she does care for my devotion , we were born for each other ; what a life we shall have , thank fate I never was foolish enough to throw myself away on that little , timid , shrinking , silly Fanny Clarmont , '' and he leaped and ran to Rose Cottage , some times with a loud laugh , startling the night birds , as he thought of the woman and her gold . Kate had shivered as with a chill at Delrose 's words , when Lord Rivers had said : `` Come and take a glass of something warm , you have been standing too long . ''