midday
One by one he meditated the words he should say when the wife came in . One by one he pondered over the conditions he might impose before he took the pen in hand at the husband 's bedside . `` Mrs. Armadale is here , '' said the doctor 's voice , interposing suddenly between his reflections and himself . He turned on the instant , and saw before him , with the pure midday light shining full on her , a woman of the mixed blood of the European and the African race , with the Northern delicacy in the shape of her face , and the Southern richness in its color -- a woman in the prime of her beauty , who moved with an inbred grace , who looked with an inbred fascination , whose large , languid black eyes rested on him gratefully , whose little dusky hand offered itself to him in mute expression of her thanks , with the welcome that is given to the coming of a friend . For the first time in his life the Scotchman was taken by surprise . Every self-preservative word that he had been meditating but an instant since dropped out of his memory . His thrice impenetrable armor of habitual suspicion , habitual self-discipline , and habitual reserve , which had never fallen from him in a woman 's presence before , fell from him in this woman 's presence , and brought him to his knees , a conquered man .