‘Hey,’ Kay said. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Good,’ Alice said. ‘Kind of.’

‘Only kind of? Still not getting any sleep?’

‘Barely a wink. And I think it’s getting to Tom.’

‘No doubt it is. Tough times.’

‘It’s more than that, and I’m worried, Kay.’

‘Oh?’ Kay said. ‘In what way?’

‘He’s moody. And a bit withdrawn.’

Kay laughed. ‘If a man being moody and withdrawn was something to worry about we’d all be in a state of constant anxiety.’

‘It’s not only that. He’s been snapping at me.’

‘He’s tired,’ Kay said. ‘It’s a stressful time.’

‘That’s what I thought,’ Alice said. ‘But I’m worried it runs deeper. I’m worried he’s depressed.’

There was a moment of silence.

‘Did something happen?’ Kay said. ‘Did he do something to you?’

‘No,’ Alice said. ‘Not to me. Not to anyone. At least, I don’t think so.’

‘I don’t like that “I don’t think so”,’ Kay said. ‘What’s going on, Alice?’

‘Jo had a bruise,’ she said. ‘On her arm. The doctor saw it and I could tell she was concerned. It’s not the kind of thing that could appear from nowhere.’

‘You think it was Tom?’

‘There’s only so many people it could be. Tom’s mum, Martha. Tom’s brother Roland. I didn’t include Tom on the list initially—’

‘Initially?’ Kay said.

‘Until just now.’

‘Why just now?’

Alice took a deep breath. ‘You have to keep this to yourself, Kay.’

‘Of course.’

‘You have to promise.’

‘Cross my heart and hope to die.’

‘He had a bath with Jo earlier. I was on the phone but I could hear them splashing around. After a while I realized everything was quiet, so went up to check, and he was asleep in the bath. Jo was on his chest, but she’d slipped down and her face was near the water.’

‘Oh God!’ Kay said. ‘Is she OK?’

‘Yes. But she might not have been.’

‘That’s pretty bad,’ Kay said. ‘But it sounds like he made a mistake. That’s all.’

‘That’s what worries me,’ Alice said. ‘With the way he’s been recently – the way he seems to hate me and resent Jo – I got the impression – just an idea, really – that it may have been deliberate.’

‘Deliberate?’

‘It’s hard to even say it. But it was almost as if – as if he wanted to – that he was planning to drown them both.’

‘No,’ Kay said. ‘Not Tom.’

‘I know. It sounds crazy. I don’t like to think it, let alone say it. But I can’t ignore what happened, Kay.’

‘Listen,’ Kay said. ‘I’m sure this is a temporary phase he’s going through, because of the stress you’re both under. You mustn’t overreact. Have you talked to anyone else about it?’

‘No, only you.’

‘You could talk to a professional.’