midnight
With a self-conscious flush , he shifted the eyes into which she was looking , and arose to say good-night . Although she did not understand it , Elizabeth also turned hastily away ; Hugh Noland 's embarrassment communicated itself to her . Her confusion puzzled her . Glancing at the clock , she saw that it was near midnight ; she had read longer than she had thought . In her surprised consideration of what Hepsie would think if she should hear Hugh pass her door at that hour , she got the first burst of light on the subject . Until now she had gone along night after night reading with Hugh Noland , absorbed in the books , and without any sort of attitude toward the man except that of good-fellowship , but now she stood revealed to herself and was covered with shame . That Hugh might be in love with her did not occur to her , but that he knew that she had feelings out of keeping with her vows of marriage she felt certain , and with her usual intensity Elizabeth went over the mark in her shame and contrition .