She was dressed and ready two hours before the time, and was just about to start when Jasmine telephoned to say that unluckily she had an unexpected meeting. But she would meet Martha at eight outside McGrath’s so that they might both go to yet another meeting, organized by Help for Our Allies. Jasmine felt, she said in that small demure voice, that Martha would find it interesting.Martha set herself to wait another two hours, conscious that much of her enthusiasm was ebbing. There is something in the word ‘meeting’ which arouses an instinctive and profound distrust in the bosoms of British people at this late hour of their history. And then the name ‘Help for Our Allies’ had a childish sound, with strong overtones of tract and even charity. Martha had lapsed back into her condition of irritated distaste long before the time appointed, and it was with an effort of will that she roused herself to go to the car. She waited outside the hotel for some twenty minutes before Jasmine and William appeared, each carrying armfuls of books and leaflets.
