During half term, Judith goes to stay with her aunt for four days. It is during these four days that Judith discovers that there are dangers that are lurking around her. Aunt Louisa is generous, and buys her a bicycle, which makes Judith extremely happy. During the stay she gets to meet Louisa's neighbour, Colonel Billy Fawcett, a retired officer who Louisa and her late husband Jack met during their time in India. From the first moment Judith does not like the man because she thinks that he imposes his presence too much. The man offers to invite her and Louisa to see the film Top Hat, and even though Judith would like to go with her friend, Heather, she agrees to go when her aunt accepts the invitation.
Judith plans to spend Sunday with Heather as aunt Louisa will be playing gofl all day, and her maids Hilda and Edna are away on their grandmother's birthday. Yet, when she calls Heather, she tells her that she and her family are going away to visit some relatives. So Judith will have to entertain herself that Sunday.
Louisa and Judith go to the cinema, and Judith sits next to Billy. She is finding the film funny, but then she feels Billy's hand on her knee, and at first she thinks that he must have made a mistake. She shifts in her sit, but Billy keeps his hand there, and then he runs it up her thigh. Uncomfortable and not knowing what to do, she falls to her knees, pretending to have lost her hairslide, and Louisa upbraids her and the people in the row behind also complain. When she returns to her sit, Billy's hadn returns to her knee, so Judith stands up and goes to the toilet. And when she returns, she demands Louisa to move to the seat next to Billy. After the film, Louisa tells her off for disturbing people in the cinema and Judith apologises.
On Sunday Judith rides her bicycle and spends the day out. When she returns, it is raining. Just minutes after getting home, she sees Billy Fawcett walking down the drive and knocking at the door. Judith locks all the doors and hides under Aunt Louisa's bed, and when the man keeps knocking and demanding she open, she stays there until he goes away.
Judith is relieved to return to St Ursula, and she worries that maybe Billy will marry Aunt Louisa, and he will be there every time she goes home. Yet, destiny has other plans. When Louisa is driving home after playing cards with some friends, she does not see the car that has been abandoned on the road after stopping working. Aunt Louisa's car crashes into the back of this car and Louisa dies instantly. Miss Catto informs Judith about the death of her aunt, and Judith is shocked and sad. It is during this conversation that Judith tells Miss Catto about what happened with Billy Fawcett, and Miss Catto tells her that destiny has intervened in a strange way to prevent her from seeing the man again. Some days after the funeral the lawyer, Mr Baines, comes to talk to Judith, and he tells her that Louisa has left everything to her, not only the house, but her money, and she was quite a wealthy money. Miss Catto tells her that this means that she will not be beholden to any man as she has money. During her minority there will be trustees that will protect her money, and she will receive an allowance.
Now that Aunt Louisa is dead, Judith goes to her Aunt Biddy or the Carey-Lewises during the holidays. Actually, all her things are now in Diana Carey Lewis's home. Judith has met Edward, the son, during the Easter holiday, and she is charmed by her friend's brother.
I really love Judith and how she braves everything she needs to face. It is difficult to understand how her parents have left her for years, with just the contact of regular letters.
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