eight o'clock
Sir Nicholas ' letters became more and more emphatically underlined and incoherent as the days went on , and Lady Maxwell less and less willing for Isabel to read them ; but the girl often found the old lady hastily putting away the thin sheets which she had just taken out to read to herself once again , on which her dear lord had scrawled down his very heart itself , as if his courting of her were all to do again . It was not until the Saturday morning that the courier rode in through the gatehouse with the news that Sir Nicholas was to be released that day , and would be down if possible before nightfall . All the men on the estate were immediately called in and sent home to dress themselves ; and an escort of a dozen grooms and servants led by Hubert and Piers rode out at once on the north road , with torches ready for kindling , to meet the party and bring them home ; and all other preparations were set forward at once . Towards eight o'clock Lady Maxwell was so anxious and restless that Isabel slipped out and went down to the gatehouse to look out for herself if there were any signs of the approach of the party . She went up to one of the little octagonal towers , and looked out towards the green . It was a clear starlight night , but towards the village all was bathed in the dancing ruddy light of the bonfire . It was burning on a little mound at the upper end of the green , just below where Isabel stood , and a heavy curtain of smoke drifted westwards .