"Now, let me see what the time is," said Troy, after emptying his glass in one draught as he stood. "Half-past six o'clock. I shall not hurry along the road, and shall be there then before nine."
Relevance of the timing? Well, he doesn't have his fancy gold watch to check. He's returning to "claim" his possessions: the watch, the wife, the farm. There has been zero indication that he is guided by love
