About midnight
When Master de Cressi and his people were gone , having first searched the great manor-house and found none in it save a few serving-men and women , whom he swore to put to death if they disobeyed him , Grey Dick raised the drawbridge . Then , all being made safe , he set a watch upon the walls and saw that there was wood in the iron cradle on the topmost tower in case it should be needful to light the beacon and bring aid . But it was not , since the sun rose before any dared to draw near those walls , and then those that came proved to be friendly folk from Dunwich bearing the ill news that the Frenchmen were clean away . About midnight the door of the chamber in which Sir Andrew knelt by a bed whereon lay Hugh de Cressi opened and the tall Eve entered , bearing a taper in her hand . For now her mind had returned to her and she knew all . `` Is he dead , Father ? '' she asked in a small , strange voice ; then , still as any statue , awaited the answer that was more to her than life .