midnight
Her plans were now made , and this sudden illness was a ruse to detain the maid . No , she must not see the King . She must now , first of all , become Monmouth 's mistress , then Cedric in his wild despair would turn again to her ; his playfellow , his old love , Constance . Whether the postilion were in their master 's confidence or not is not certain , but just before midnight they plunged into a narrow , miry road that traversed wastes and low coppices ; the plash of the horses ' feet showed the tract to be marshy and full of pools . Her ladyship looked out across the dreary fen and exclaimed , -- `` I 'll be damned , they have set us out like ducks ! '' At her words Katherine drew from her with disgust . It was the first she had heard her swear ; but she had not yet seen her true nature .