midnight
he whispered , and went out . He had much to see to , that night and all next day . A telegram at breakfast reassured him about Annette , and he only caught the last train back to Reading , with Emily 's kiss on his forehead and in his ears her words : `` I do n't know what I should have done without you , my dear boy . '' He reached his house at midnight . The weather had changed , was mild again , as though , having finished its work and sent a Forsyte to his last account , it could relax . A second telegram , received at dinner-time , had confirmed the good news of Annette , and , instead of going in , Soames passed down through the garden in the moonlight to his houseboat . He could sleep there quite well .