Book One, Chapter 9 Summary

Theo heads to Blythburgh for the Quietus. It has been twenty-eight years since he was there with Helena and a six-month-old Natalie. The memories are not happy. Natalie had been restless and Helena wanted to stop at an inn, where she could heat the milk. Theo had seen that the car park was crowded and he did not want Helena and Natalie being difficult and drawing attention to them. He shudders now to think how he put the comfort of strangers above that of his wife and child.

He stops at the same inn, alone, to have lunch. The car park is now deserted. The publican pours him a beer and heats him up the only food now on the menu, meat pies. After lunch, he continues to the north beach. He wants to have a coffee at the...