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Richard met Mrs K. a few doors from the playroom. He looked fairly happy. He had been leaning against a garden wall and pretending not to see her, making a face and half-closing his eyes: he said jokingly he wondered whether she would recognize him, and that he was pretending to be a ‘silly old fool’. He told Mrs K. that his mother had rung up; she, Richard, and Paul were going to ‘Z’ for a day if his father was well enough to be left with the nurse; if not, they could not go. Inside the room he sat down at the table and told Mrs K. that the fleet had not come, it did not wish to, it said it did not want to see her.
Mrs K. interpreted that Richard seemed to have mixed feelings about her; in one way she seemed dangerous. The fleet stood for one part of Richard's mind, as well as for his family, whom he wished to keep safe when he was with her.
Richard accepted Mrs K's interpretation, but said emphatically that he very much wanted to come and was very fond of her. He told her that he had had quite a happy night and slept well. In the evening he went to the cinema, saw a good film, and was lucky to get his favourite seat, which was on the right-hand side, highest up and overlooking all the seats. He also told Mrs K. the number of it. He had been quite by himself on that side of the cinema. There were, of course, plenty of people in the cheaper seats; but he would not have minded if people had sat near to him as long as he had this seat. There were a few boys there who, he thought, were looking at