Chapter 9 Summary

Connie suddenly recognizes that she feels a strong aversion to Clifford, as though deep within her she has always held a passionless physical dislike, which has only now surfaced. All that they had between them was their habitual intimacy. Now this has tuned to dry ashes. Clifford is becoming more and more dependent upon Mrs. Bolton. Though Connie still sits with him in the evening to discuss his manuscripts, she no longer enjoys their time together. It is a chore. Eventually, Mrs. Bolton begins to take on this role also, much to both her and Connie's delight.

During the evenings, Mrs. Bolton begins to gossip to Clifford about Tevershall and the lives of the villagers. At first, this gives him more ideas for his stories. Eventually as he becomes more familiar with the villager's lives, he realizes that the pit is running low...