I pulled a baby wipe from a packet and began rubbing her face gently, attempting to remove the stains.

‘Ah, thank you, much appreciated. Now, tell Jane, why are you crying? You see, life’s too short for that, you know?’ she said, rubbing my hand. We were like two ewes in April nibbling each other’s wool after they’d taken our lambs away to slaughter.

‘I’m not crying Jane, promise, it’s only the air … or the oxygen.’ I took a deep breath. ‘It’s going against my eyes, and watering them,’ I lied.

‘You’ve only gone and reminded me … I haven’t watered my hanging baskets once this summer. Did you know I made a lovely job of my hanging baskets last year? Stuffed them full of pansies and lovely trailing ivy and lobelia. They were magnificent.’

‘It’s not summer yet, Jane … Don’t worry, you’ve plenty of time.’

‘Isn’t it? Isn’t that a pity? Have I really? Plenty of time? Are you sure? Before summer. Is it really not summer? Feels so very hot in here, that’s good though, for the flowers won’t wilt and die without me! Aren’t I very silly thinking it’s summer, and do you know what, but that nurse looks just like summer, doesn’t she?’

‘She does,’ I said, ‘she’s lovely.’

‘No, she certainly is not lovely. Are you gone completely astray in the head?’

‘She works hard, no?’

‘Well now, doesn’t everyone work hard? Isn’t that only what you’re supposed to do? She’s so fresh that one, you should stay away from her, only bring you trouble, I’m telling you.’

‘Ah, no, she’s no … no trouble, Jane.’

‘I saw them,’ she said, giggling. ‘Both of them. Together. I just peered out of there like this,’ she went on, and put up her gloved hands to her face and opened out the palm of red leather like a peacock. ‘Ah, see, I did I did I did, ah, they were there, you know, all curled up like little field mice, yes, that’s it, little field mice curled up in the cold. She’ll end up like Ann if she’s not careful. Did I ever tell you that Ann went and hung herself off a banister …’ she said, rocking. ‘Did I tell you this?’

‘Yes, yes, you did.’

‘Lovely Ann. With a terribly narrow cord, yes, wrapped all tight.’ She squeezed the hands around her neck. ‘I put those bitches of nuns in their place, look –’ she nodded over at Margaret Rose – ‘I think I killed this one with the barrel of a gun. That summer nurse needs to be careful. No good will come of her and she all curled up with him and up to all sorts.’

‘You didn’t kill her, Jane, that’s Margaret Rose, she’s your friend. You like her. It was just a hairdryer. But you did hit her hard with it … she’s a lovely woman,’ I said, slowly, and she lifted her hand to her mouth about to cry. ‘Margaret Rose is a good woman, she’s your friend.’