But, no, she thought she could manage; clasping the large, heavy volume under her arm, and taking up the tray, she walked slowly up the staircase.
But a great surprise awaited her; in fact, when Mr.Sleuth's landlady opened the door of the drawing-room she very nearly dropped the tray.

She actually did drop the Bible, and it fell with a heavy thud to the ground.
The new lodger had turned all those nice framed engravings of the early Victorian beauties, of which Mrs.Bunting had been so proud, with their faces to the wall! For a moment she was really too surprised to speak.

Putting the tray down on the table, she stooped and picked up the Book.

It troubled her that the Book should have fallen to the ground; but really she hadn't been able to help it--it was mercy that the tray hadn't fallen, too.
Mr.Sleuth got up.

"I--I have taken the liberty to arrange the room as I should wish it to be," he said awkwardly.