From eleven to twelve was the time for Mary's duty as amanuensis.

Sometimes there were no letters to be written.

Sometimes there were several; but her ladyship rarely allowed the task to go beyond the stroke of noon.

At noon Mary was free, and free till five o'clock, when she was generally in attendance, ready to give Lady Maulevrier her afternoon tea, and sit and talk with her, and tell her any scraps of local news which she had gathered in the day.
There were days on which her ladyship preferred to take her tea alone, and Mary was left free to follow her own devices till dinner-time.
'I do not feel equal even to your society to-day, my dear,' her ladyship would say; 'go and enjoy yourself with your dogs and your tennis;' forgetting that there was very seldom anybody on the premises with whom Lady Mary could play tennis.
But in these lonely days of Mary Haselden's life there was one crowning bliss which was almost enough to sweeten solitude, and take away the sting of separation; and that was the delight of expecting and receiving her lover's letters.

Busily as Mr.Hammond must be engaged in fighting the battle of life, he was in no way wanting in his duty as a lover.