nearly eight o'clock
And sneaking out of the house without Percy or the housekeeper becoming aware of it , he set off on a swift walk for the little cottage by the lakeside . It was not a very long walk from Squire Paget 's elegant mansion on the hill to the humble cottage occupied by Mrs. Nelson and Ralph , but the squire made it longer by taking numerous back roads . It was easy to imagine that he wished to be seen by no outsider in making his proposed visit . It was nearly eight o'clock when he came within sight of the cottage . He saw that the lamp was lit in the sitting-room , and near it sat the widow , reading the latest copy of the county weekly newspaper . Ralph was nowhere in sight . `` The boy must be upstairs , '' thought the squire .