noon
Slowly the last rays of a bright October sun faded in the west , giving no sign of the stormy day which was to succeed . Long after midnight a lone watcher sat by the window in Fanny 's room , gazing at the stars , which looked so quietly on from their distant homes , and praying , not for herself , but for Dr. Lacey , that he might be happy with her he had chosen . At last , chilled with the night air , she crept shivering to her pillow , nor woke again until aroused by the fierce moaning of the autumn wind , which shook the casement , and by the sound of the driving rain which beat against the pane . Yes , the morning which dawned on Julia 's bridal day was wild and stormy , but before noon the clouds cleared away and the afternoon was dry , hot and oppressive , a precursor to the mightier and more wrathful storm which followed . About five o'clock there was a noise in the yard , and Kate , who was in Fanny 's room , arranging her young friend 's hair , looked from the window and said , `` It is Dr. Lacey . Julia has looked for him for more than three hours . '' Quickly Fanny hurried to the window .