"I don't want anything."
"Well, I suggest that we get into the village as quick as we can and stay there till the rain stops. I was also going to suggest that we spent the time in having lunch, but as you don't want anything, we needn't."
"But I don't want to wait in the village, Mr. Speed. I was just going to start for home when it came on to rain."
Speed said: "Very well, if you want to get home you must let me take you. You're not going to walk home through a thunderstorm. We'll have a cab or something."
"And do you really think you'll get a cab in Parminters?"
He answered: "I always have a good try to get anything I want to."
For all her protests she came with him down the meadow and out into the sodden lane. As they passed the gate the first flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed five seconds after by a crash of thunder.
"There!" he exclaimed triumphantly, as if the thunder and lightning somehow strengthened his position with her: "You wouldn't like to walk to Millstead through that, would you?"
She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him as if she hated his interference yet found it irresistible.