I saw they were giving me far too much attention.

I began instantly to work to set myself free, and there was not a minute for the next twenty-four hours that I was not working.

Before I stepped into the car I had decided upon my line of defence.

I would pretend to be entirely unconscious that I had in any way laid myself open to suspicion; that I had erred through pure stupidity and that I was where I was solely because I was a damn fool.

I began to act like a damn fool.