Jerott's eyes and Philippa's met. 'When I meet my friend,' said Jerott Blyth carefully, 'there is likely to be a detonation which will take the snow off Mont Blanc. I advise you to seek other auspices. Philippa, I think we should go down below.' 'To swim?' said that unprepossessing child guilelessly. 'I can stand on my head.' 'Oh, Christ,' said Jerott morosely. 'Why in hell did you come?' The brown eyes within the damp, dun-coloured hair inspected him narrowly. 'Because you need a woman,' said Philippa finally. 'And I'm the nearest thing to it that you're likely to get. It was very short notice.
Jerott Blyth and Philippa share a meaningful look, with Jerott humorously warning that meeting his friend could cause a literal explosion, suggesting the situation is tense or volatile. He then suggests they leave the scene, implying they need to escape the chaos or danger nearby. Philippa, innocently yet boldly, replies that she can swim and even stand on her head, revealing her confident or playful nature.
Jerott expresses frustration and questions her presence, revealing that her arrival was unexpected. Philippa candidly states that she is there because Jerott needs a woman, implying she is offering herself to fill that role, recognizing her arrival was sudden. Her pragmatic attitude highlights her straightforward, no-nonsense personality in a tumultuous situation.
