When the door opened to reveal the young woman from the library, Douglas looked around.  "Is this the house of Dr. Wells?" 

He hoped he had not come to the wrong house. Looking back to Pippa, he noticed that she seemed in good health, which he was glad.  He had been worried about the event previously.  He had received several invites from the other young woman's family (the one that had caused Pippa to fall) and he had refused.  Most he would have given a polite negative answer.  But for this family, he had ignored the first few then had just sent back the message that he was not interested in the company it would put him around.  He had let them figure out why.  Knowing how gossipy people were, especially women and servants, her family would know what had happened when he met the daughter.