about nine o'clock
I started up and was about to leave the room hastily , when Tone said in the same calm tone : `` Stay here , Elfie , you have no need to be ashamed of those tears . ' `` At home I should have rushed from the room , banging the door after me : I could give myself no account of my reason for going and sitting down quietly instead ; I did so , nevertheless , though I could not suppress my sobs for some time . At last I became , outwardly at least , calm . `` Aunt Evangeline always retired to her room about nine o'clock , and at first I did the same , but then my brother detained me for a game of chess which he taught me to play , and to talk about some books that he had given me to read , so that we usually sat together till ten o'clock . That night , however , I had no mind to sit alone with him for an hour , so I turned to say good-night as aunt was leaving the room . He held the door open for her , bade her ` good-night , ' and then closed it as deliberately as if he had not seen my outstretched hand . He then turned to me , and took it , cold and trembling as it was , in his own firm , warm grasp , but with no intention of letting me go .