Hidden in the Country

Level: B1

A car drew up outside the Swan Hotel and a young man got out. Pausing only for an instant to see that he had come to the right place, he went into the hotel and rang the bell on the counter of the bar.

Mrs Crump, the landlady, who was busy in the kitchen at the time, hurried out, wiping her hands. The young man raised his hat. ‘Excuse me,’  he said. ‘I’m looking for my uncle, Mr  White. I believe he is staying here.’

‘He was staying here,’ Mrs Crump corrected him. ‘But I’m afraid that he went back to London yesterday.’

‘Oh dear,’ said the young man, looking disappointed. I understood that he was going to stay here until the end of the month. At least, that is what his servant told me when I rang up his house.’

‘Quite right,’ said Mrs Crump.  ‘He intended to stay here the whole of July, as he always  does. But yesterday he got a letter to say that one of his relatives was ill. So he caught the train back to London immediately.’

‘I wish he had let me know,’ the young man said. ‘I wrote him a letter saying that I was coming. I’ve had all this trouble for nothing. Well, since he isn’t here, there is no point in waiting.’

He thanked Mrs Crump and went out. Mrs Crump went to the window and watched him drive off. When his car was out of sight, she called out: ‘You can come out now, Mr White. He’s gone.’

Mr White came out of the kitchen, where he had been waiting. ‘Many thanks, Mrs  Crump,’ he said, laughing. ‘You did that very well. These nephews of mine never give me any peace. That young man is the worst of them all. As you see, when he needs money, he even follows me into the country. Well, perhaps next time he won’t warn me by writing me a letter!’

Glossary

at least- used when you are correcting or changing something that you have just said

catch a train- to get on a train etc. in order to travel on it

counter- the place where you pay or are served in a shop, bank, restaurant, etc.

disappointed- unhappy because something you hoped for did not happen, or because someone or something was not as good as you expected

draw up- to arrive somewhere and stop

drive off- to leave in a car

hurry- to do something or go somewhere more quickly than usual

immediately- without delay; at once 

instant- a moment

intend- to have something in your mind as a plan or purpose

landlady- a woman who rents a room, building, or piece of lad to someone

nephew- the son of your brother or sister, or the son of your husband’s or wife’s brother or sister

out of sight- outside the area that you can see

pause- to stop speaking or doing something for a short time before starting again

point- reason

raise- to move or lift something to a higher position, place, or level

relative- a member of your family

ring up- to telephone someone

understand- to believe or think something is true because you have heard it or read it

warn- to tell someone that something bad or dangerous may happen

wipe- to rub a surface with something in order to remove dirt, liquid, etc.

Collocations

ring the bell

hurry out

wipe your hands

raise your hat

I’m afraid that

look disappointed

intend to do something

catch a train back to a place

have trouble

for nothing

not give someone any peace