I found the door open and Sadie fretting and fuming about the hall. ‘My dear creature,’ she said, ‘thank heavens you’ve come. When I say dawn to dusk I mean dawn to dusk. You’ve made me madly late. Never mind, don’t look like that, come in. I see you’ve brought enough scribbling-paper to last a year. That’s just as well. Listen, I want you, just for today and tomorrow, to stay here all day. Do you mind? I’ll feel better if I know someone’s here all the time. There’s oceans to drink and the fridge is just full of salmon and raspberries and things. Don’t invite your friends in though, there’s an angel. If Belfounder or anybody telephones just say in a stern masculine voice that I’m out indefinitely. There’s an utter darling. Now I must absolutely run.’ ‘When’ll you be back?’ I asked, rather overwhelmed by these instructions. ‘Oh, late tonight,’ said Sadie. ‘Don’t wait up. Just choose yourself one of the spare rooms. The beds are all made.’ Then she kissed me with considerable enthusiasm and went away.
