‘Frances must be so upset. I can’t believe it could have happened so quickly. Just a few hours . . .’ ‘Frances told Alice that he’d had a chill for a few days, and then he started being very sick. She told us she was worried and Alice wanted me to go over there, so I did. When I saw Charlie I took him straight into the hospital – they seemed to think it might be some kind of physical abuse at first. One of the doctors asked me if Frances had a temper and if she shouted at Charlie a lot. I told him that she was a very good mother and had never smacked him to my knowledge – and they seem to accept it was meningitis now.’ ‘Frances would never have hurt her son,’ Emily said immediately. ‘Oh, I wish I was there. She must feel so alone. I shall come down tomorrow, but I have something on today – and I’ve tried telephoning her but I can’t get through.’ ‘She probably isn’t answering,’ Daniel said. ‘I went to see her this morning and she seems to be in a bit of a daze.
