midnight
He then halted , whispered to two men who watched for his orders , and had the poor lady again silenced by the cloth being tied over her mouth . She tried to drop off , but that only caused the strap which bound her to the rider to be buckled tighter . She found herself treated like a wayward child . When she could no longer make opposition , the pace of the party was quickened , and it was not more than two hours past midnight when they reached a country house , which she knew to belong to an Edinburgh lawyer , a friend of her husband 's . Servants were up -- fires were burning -- supper was on the table . The lady was shown to a comfortable bedroom . From thence she refused to come down .