There was thunder in the air.
The gardeners began to mow the grass again.
I could see one of the men with his machine walk backwards and forwards on the top of the bank.
I could not go on sitting in the morning-room.
I left my scissors and my roses and went out on to the terrace.
I began to walk up and down.
Jasper padded after me, wondering why I did not take him for a walk.
I went on walking up and down the terrace.
About half past eleven Frith came out to me from the hall.
'Mr de Winter on the telephone, Madam,' he said.
I went through the library to the little room beyond.
My hands were shaking as I lifted the receiver.
'Is that you?' he said.
'It's Maxim.
I'm speaking from the office.
I'm with Frank.'
'Yes?' I said.
There was a pause.
'I shall be bringing Frank and Colonel Julyan back to lunch at one o'clock,' he said.
'Yes,' I said.
I waited. I waited for him to go on.
"They were able to raise the boat,' he said.
'I've just got back from the creek.'
'Yes,' I said.
'Searle was there, and Colonel Julyan, and Frank, and the others,' he said.
I wondered if Frank was standing beside him at the telephone, and if that was the reason he was so cool, so distant.
'AH right then,' he said, 'expect us about one o'clock.'
I put back the receiver.
He had not told me anything.
I still did not know what had happened.
I went back again to the terrace, telling Frith first that we should be four to lunch instead of two.
An hour dragged past, slow, interminable.
I went upstairs and changed into a thinner frock.
I came down again.
I went and sat in the drawing-room and waited.
At five minutes to one I heard the sound of a car in the drive, and then voices in the hall.
I patted my hair in front of the looking-glass.
My face was very white.
I pinched some colour into my cheeks and stood up waiting for them to come into the room.
Maxim came in, and Frank, and Colonel Julyan.
I remembered seeing Colonel Julyan at the ball dressed as Cromwell.
He looked shrunken now, different. A smaller man altogether.
'How do you do?' he said.
He spoke quietly, gravely, like a doctor.
'Ask Frith to bring the sherry,' said Maxim.
'I'm going to wash.'
'I'll have a wash too,' said Frank.
Before I rang the bell Frith appeared with the sherry.
Colonel Julyan did not have any.
I took some to give me something to hold.