I have some sheep at the beckfoot and it will take me half an hour to drive them home," Kit said coolly.
Osborn looked at him with savage surprise.

It was unthinkable that he should be forced to wait while the fellow went for his sheep, but he saw that Kit was not to be moved and tried to control his anger.
"Very well.

I will meet you at Ashness in half an hour." Kit braced himself as he went up the road.

In a sense, he was not afraid of Osborn, but he had now to meet a crisis that he ought to have seen must come.

In fact, he had seen it, and had, rather weakly, tried to cheat himself and put things off.