"Now we'll enjoy our tea," she said. "I think Mr. Grandon is right; we can't drive any farther in this weather... Better lock the car, Mr. Grandon, and take care of the key, for a lot of undesirable people appear to be about this afternoon... Now then. Come along. Perhaps Penny will lead the way."

The twins glanced at Penny, who nodded slightly. There was no choice now and no chance to run away, and not much sense in it if they did. They were here and had better make the best of it. She leaned across Mary on her left and opened the door to get out. The wind flung itself at her like a mad thing. It took the words from her mouth and wrapped her raincoat round her knees. It howled and sang and blustered in triumph, but at the back of its mad symphony was the constant roar of the waves pounding on the shingle beyond the great bank.

It was desperately hard going along the shingle to the bungalow, but they got there at last and the door was opened before they reached it by the fair-headed girl whom Penny already disliked heartily.

As they crowded into the tiny hall the girl raised her delicate eyebrows to Miss Ballinger, who muttered shortly, "This is all. Any news of the others?" and when the girl shook her head she led the way into the front room.

As soon as Penny crossed the threshold of this ugly little house for the second time she knew that she had made a mistake. When Mr. Grandon behind her closed the door and she heard the latch click home her heart began to thump uncomfortably and she felt sick with fear. She thought of Jon, too, and tried to think what he would do.

With a sigh she realized that he would have had the sense not to come. Then Miss Ballinger - a changed Miss Ballinger - spoke, and her manner was sharp.

"Now then, I've no time to waste. No, Richard. This is not going to be the sort of tea-party you anticipated. You two kids can go into the other room. It's Miss Penny I want... Grandon! Take 'em into the back room and lock 'em in with that unpleasant dog."

Before she had finished speaking the twins pushed past Slinky and stood sturdily at Penny's side. Macbeth, sensing the situation, showed his teeth and snarled.

"You just try and move us," Mary said as she stooped to pat him. "Just try - that's all we ask! I don't know what you think you're doing and what this is all about, but we jolly well know that you're wicked..."

"And we know some other things, too," Dickie said, and then stopped in alarm as Miss Ballinger, who was leaning against the mantelpiece lighting a cigarette, looked down at the little boy with a flash of her spectacles.