‘She’s dead,’ Olivia told him in a tiny voice. ‘Anna says she’s dead.’

Jake gave Anna a questioning look and she shrugged helplessly.

‘It’s OK,’ Krish soothed. ‘Don’t worry now.’ Anna realized he hadn’t any idea who Olivia was talking about. ‘Let’s go upstairs, shall we, and have some time together? We could have one of our talks, couldn’t we?’

‘I think she’s scalded her hand,’ Anna pointed out.

Krish nodded. He led Olivia towards the door, arm round her shoulders. As they passed through the long room Anna and Jake heard Olivia say tearfully, ‘Krishna loved me, didn’t he?’ And Krish’s reply, ‘Yes, he did. Of course he did.’

Anna found she couldn’t move. Her legs were unsteady and her hands trembling. Jake took her arm and pulled her away from the cooker, turning one of the taps.

‘You’ve switched the gas on.’ He was fanning the air with one hand.

‘I thought I could smell something.’

Dazed, she watched Jake push the back door ajar and fling open the window over the sink. ‘That’s better,’ he said, coming over to her. ‘Smells foul in here. Are you all right?’

She was in shock, her knees giving way. Jake caught her as she was about to sink to the floor. She felt his arm strongly round her waist, holding her up, helping her to a chair in the long room. He let her down gently and she sat shaking. ‘Sorry,’ she said.

‘That’s all right. I’m used to humping chests of drawers around.’

He squatted down in front of her, eyes concerned. ‘Anna, you look really rough. D’you want me to take you home?’

She shook her head. ‘No. I’ll be fine. I can’t just disappear after that anyway, can I? Could you pass me my bag – I need a fag.’

He stood up, towering over her, passed it over. ‘Here.’

‘Want one?’

‘I don’t any more.’ He frowned. ‘What brought that on? I’ve never seen her as bad as that before. You’ve really touched a nerve somewhere.’

‘She didn’t know Mom was dead.’ Anna dragged hard on the cigarette, elbows resting on her knees, one hand raking her hair. ‘I feel so bad about it. I mean we just kept mentioning her and I took it for granted Olivia knew. She wanted to see her. It’s all so stupid . . .’

‘Don’t blame yourself,’ Jake said. ‘She’s had years, hasn’t she? She’s picked the wrong moment.’

‘But it’s not just a wrong moment, is it?’ Anna retorted, angrily. ‘It’s never, now. Finito. Chance over.’

‘Look, I’ll go and get the kettle working,’ Jake said, retreating into the kitchen. ‘You look as if you could do with something.’

There was a pause, then Anna said, ‘Poor Krishna.’

It was well over an hour before Olivia came down again. Jake kept making sweet cups of tea and Anna was grateful and felt relieved at being cared for, even though she could have done with a gin.

After some time, Sean came sidling round the door. ‘I heard,’ he said. ‘Is she all right?’