... quarrelling about what programme to watch

[Khamala]

past perfect or simple past?

The day you dropped those first seeds of murder into my heart was a hot summer Sunday afternoon in mid-August. August 21, to be precise. Charlotte and Rebecca had escaped from the heat and were indoors in front of the TV, quarrelling about what programme to watch.

Why didn't the author keep using past perfect for "were indoors..." and "quarrelling about..." ?

 

[Tarheel]

The usage of past perfect in the first part of the sentence had done its job and was not needed anymore.

 

[emsr2d2]

@Khamala - Please provide the source and author of the quote. You must do this in post #1 every time you quote someone else's words.

 

[5jj]

Why didn't the author keep using past perfect for "were indoors..." and "quarrelling about..." ?

The past perfect clearly places the action of the earlier past situation, escaping from the heat, before the later past situations, being in front of the TV and quarrelling. Using the last perfect for the later events would muddy the waters.