When the blow did not fall she turned her head to look at him.
He had no time even to turn his head before the blow fell.
Then the second blow fell, this one at the back of his head.
"And if the blow does fall, it will tell us what we need to know."
The cook half turned as the blow fell, but he didn't have a chance.
See here, on my arm, where his first blow fell.
He raised his blade, but the blow did not fall.
His blow fell so fast that she had no time to move with it.
We knew that the blows were falling upon our back.
It might even be better if she had warning now, before the blow fell.