Richard came to meet Mrs K. much nearer to her lodgings than he had ever done before and he himself drew Mrs K.'s attention to this. He looked carefully to see if Mr Smith was coming along the first road. In the room, Richard seemed rather serious, but not particularly worried, and said that new arrangements for his stay in ‘X’ had now been made. He mentioned that Mrs K. would be interested to hear that the fleet had now been put into another box, a stronger one, but he had left it behind at the Wilson's.

Mrs K. asked why he had done so.

Richard said the fleet did not wish to come because it might do Mrs K. some harm.… He had been listening to the noise which a passing lorry made: he said it sounded like groaning.

Mrs K. asked him what this groaning reminded him of.