three hours from noon
She had heard from her first years of the oppression of Diggs and had impressed it on her husband , who was intolerant of any tyranny except at Wodgate . Tummas and his wife , and a few chosen friends , therefore went out one morning to settle the tommy-book of her father with Mr Diggs . A whisper of their intention had got about among those interested in the subject . It was a fine summer morning , some three hours from noon , the shop was shut , indeed it had not been opened since the riots , and all the lower windows of the dwelling were closed , barred , and bolted . A crowd of women had collected . There was Mistress Page and Mistress Prance , old Dame Toddles and Mrs Mullins , Liza Gray and the comely dame who was so fond of society that she liked even a riot . `` Master Joseph they say has gone to the North , '' said the comely dame .