Which word is closest in meaning to belated as it is used in this excerpt?

...one by one the noises in the street subsided, until the hurrying footsteps of the last belated straggler died away in the distance and left no sound behind.

Which analysis of the text does this passage best support a) lady mcbeth shows how much she loves her husband by offering to take the blame for the kings murder b) lady mcbeth thinks her husband is a good man and wants him to forgive his plans to kill the king c) lady macbeth is considered that your husband didn’t have the nerve to kill the king and take the crown d) read mcbeth believes that her husband is evil and will murder others after he has killed the king