ten o'clock
He would take care of her ; send word to The Gap ; protect Aunt Doris and Nancy from shock . She began to laugh quietly , tremblingly -- she was safe at last . Safe ! It was after ten o'clock when she paid her taxi driver in front of Martin 's office and dismissed him . Gathering Cuff in one aching arm and clutching her bag she slowly , painfully mounted the steps without noticing the sign bearing a new name . If anything were needed to prove how detached Joan had been for the past year or two it was this ignorance concerning the arrangement between Martin and his nephew . Had she not been on the border of delirium she would have recalled certain things which would have guided her ; as it was she felt , dazedly , for the bell , pressed the button , and to the maid who responded she faintly said : `` I -- I want the doctor . ''