Geoffrey Hildred went off to town with a good-humoured grumble about people who expected to have their business attended to on a Saturday. Miss Marina talked a great deal about the clinging damp, and urged them all individually and collectively to take plenty of wraps, to be sure not to sit on the ground, to avoid wet feet, and on no account to stay out late. Lucilla said “Yes, darling” to everything in a manner which bespoke long practice, Ricky sneered a little, Sarah promised to take the greatest care of everyone, and in the end they got off, Ricky and Lucilla on bicycles, Sarah prepared to drive Bertrand Darnac, Mr. Brown and the lunch in The Bomb. Sarah was wondering a good deal how she would feel when she met John Brown again. Her suspicions had returned upon her in full force, and she simply could not understand why she had talked to him as she had last night. She was quite convinced that the Thing that thudded and scratched upon the window was neither a natural nor a supernatural creature, but some contrivance designed to thud and scratch in order to frighten Lucilla.
