Summary

In his cottage at Howorth, Francis chops his harvest of magic mushrooms. He thinks of Olivia, and wonders “how their child would fit in to her migratory life” (200). He remarks that, since his time at Hunter’s ranch, he has thought often of Hope and of their interaction in the swimming pool. Francis then walks around the estate and encounters a deer tangled in the wire fence at the edge of the property. He hurries back to his cottage and finds Hope on his front step. She returns with Francis to the fence, where she treats the deer with “presence and compassion” (204). Hope uses a pair of wire cutters to free the deer. They kiss and return to Francis’ cottage. Francis braces himself, despite his attraction to Hope, to rebuff her flirtations. After going to the kitchen to make tea, Francis finds Hope...