Richard thought his flat was a safe place. But it wasn't. People creeping
up the stairs every minute and standing still to listen. People would
come and try the handle of the door.
"They won't, dear. Nobody ever comes in. It has never happened. It isn't
going to happen now."
Yet you couldn't help thinking that just this night it would happen.
She thought that Peters knew. He wouldn't come out of his door till you
had turned the corner of the stairs.
She thought the woman in the basement knew. She remembered the evening at
Greffington: Baxter's pinched mouth and his eyes sliding sideways to look
at you. She knew now what Baxter had been thinking. The woman's look was
the female of Baxter's.
As if that could hurt you!