At half past four Deacon gets his wish, because he is right about the arithmetic and because I have read page three hundred and eleven and I am not a coward.

DeaconIn the yard. In front of everybody. And you countersign it after.

TamsinI countersign it after. And you countersign mine, and if you hesitate for one second in front of them I will file that instead.

The yard is fuller than it has ever been. Four windows, four notebooks, and a man on his back foot for the first time in two years.