Summary Chapter 70

They only stop for refreshments and change of horses, which tends to delay them. It will be night before they reach their destination. Everyone is impatient to arrive. Kit imagines a happy ending. He keeps thinking he sees buildings or people, but as they draw closer the buildings are trees and the people are shadows. At the next stop, Kit learns they still have another ten miles to travel.

They have to travel more slowly as the road becomes more treacherous. Unable to sit in a slow moving carriage, the passengers get out and walk. They begin to worry the driver has lost his way when they hear the church bell chiming the hour.

The driver tries to rouse the people at the inn, but is unable to. Bevis Marks suggests the driver stay behind and try to rouse the innkeeper—and make arrangements when he does. Meanwhile, he wants to go on ahead to see if they are too late.

Kit brings along Nell’s bird. He wakes the clergyman, who directs them to the grandfather’s house. A boy looks out and asks if his dream has come true. Seeing it hasn’t, he cries and goes back to bed.

Kit goes ahead of the other men to the grandfather’s house. He finds the house lit but silent. He knocks and hears a moaning wail. He knocks again but nobody answers. Finally, he enters.