This was about a mile distant from the stable, and as he walked that mile he resolved that if he could get into the house at all he would declare his purpose to some one before he left it.

What was the use of shilly-shallying?
'Who ever did anything by letting the grass grow under his feet ?' So he knocked boldly at the door and asked for Mrs.Bolton.
After a considerable time, the maid came and told him, apparently with much hesitation, that Mrs.Bolton was at home.

He was quite determined to ask for Miss Bolton if Mrs.Bolton were denied to him.

But the girl said that Mrs.Bolton was at home, seeming by her manner to say at the same time, 'I cannot tell a lie about it, because of the sin; but I don't know what business you can have here, and I'm sure that my mistress does not want to see any such a one as you.' Nevertheless she showed him into the big sitting-room on the left hand of the hall, and as he entered he saw the skirts of a lady's dress vanishing through another door.

Had there been a moment allowed him he would boldly have called the lady back, for he was sure that the lady was Hester;--but the lady was gone and the door closed before he could open his mouth.
Then he waited for full ten minutes, which, of course, seemed to him to be very much more than an hour.