Being pledged to secrecy, she could not consult Mr.Troy--she was left to decide for herself.
No obstacle stood in the way of her free choice of alternatives.

After their early dinner at three o'clock, Miss Pink habitually retired to her own room "to meditate," as she expressed it.

Her "meditations" inevitably ended in a sound sleep of some hours; and during that interval Isabel was at liberty to do as she pleased.

After considerable hesitation, her implicit belief in Moody's truth and devotion, assisted by a strong feeling of curiosity to see the companion with whom the steward had associated himself, decided Isabel on consenting to keep the appointment.
Taking up her position beyond the houses, on the day and at the hour mentioned by Moody, she believed herself to be fully prepared for the most unfavorable impression which the most disagreeable of all possible strangers could produce.
But the first appearance of Old Sharon--as dirty as ever, clothed in a long, frowzy, gray overcoat, with his pug-dog at his heels, and his smoke-blackened pipe in his mouth, with a tan white hat on his head, which looked as if it had been picked up in a gutter, a hideous leer in his eyes, and a jaunty trip in his walk--took her so completely by surprise that she could only return Moody's friendly greeting by silently pressing his hand.

As for Moody's companion, to look at him for a second time was more than she had resolution to do.