midnight
He saw that when the Lady Maud accompanied him , they were wont to repair to the farthermost extremities of the palace grounds where , by a little postern gate , she admitted a certain officer of the Guards to whom the Queen had forbidden the privilege of the court . There , in a secluded bower , the two lovers whispered their hopes and plans , unmindful of the royal charge playing neglected among the flowers and shrubbery of the garden . Toward the middle of July De Vac had his plans well laid . He had managed to coax old Brus , the gardener , into letting him have the key to the little postern gate on the plea that he wished to indulge in a midnight escapade , hinting broadly of a fair lady who was to be the partner of his adventure , and , what was more to the point with Brus , at the same time slipping a couple of golden zecchins into the gardener 's palm . Brus , like the other palace servants , considered De Vac a loyal retainer of the house of Plantagenet . Whatever else of mischief De Vac might be up to , Brus was quite sure that in so far as the King was concerned , the key to the postern gate was as safe in De Vac 's hands as though Henry himself had it . The old fellow wondered a little that the morose old master of fence should , at his time in life , indulge in frivolous escapades more befitting the younger sprigs of gentility , but , then , what concern was it of his ?