He was nigh on hyperventilating and Bella had to wait for him to answer. She wrapped her arm around him, aware he was missing his coat. After a moment, Freddie’s breathing quietened a little, but the tears were coming fast. As much as she wanted to give him a hug, she knew she shouldn’t. It was then she noticed the torn knee of his trousers, wet from the ground and the slightly bloody graze poking through. He must have had a nasty fall, but she hadn’t seen it happen. He’d been playing behind the climbing frame the last time she’d spotted him and visibility through the apparatus could be quite difficult with all the children blocking the view.

‘What happened, Freddie? Did you fall over?’

Freddie’s tears intensified, and he pressed his hand into his eyes, forcing the water out. He was far too little to be that upset and after a few gulps of air, he spoke in stuttered short sentences. ‘Amias and Richard – they ran after me and – pulled off my coat then pushed me over – started punching and kicking me in the back.’

Bella went cold as a wave of horror ran over her. How had they all missed it? She glanced at Nina whose wide eyes conveyed as much shock as she was feeling. ‘Oh, Freddie, where did this happen? Behind the climbing frame?’

‘Behind the toilets.’

That was another blind spot on the playground. One she’d already told Amias to stay away from after he’d blocked all the loos by ramming whole toilet rolls down them. She’d patrolled them only moments before and he hadn’t been there. Had he waited for her to go? ‘Then what happened?’

‘I – I tried to run away but then he grabbed my blazer and punched me in the stomach.’ A fury she’d never felt before and had only imagined she’d feel with her own child rose from her stomach. Her chest tightened and she made a concerted effort to control her breathing. Freddie sniffed and wiped his face with the tissue she offered. ‘I dodged them and came and found you.’

‘Were they both hitting you?’ Nina asked, her face white with shock.

Freddie shook his head. ‘Just Amias, but Richard pulled off my coat and chased me.’

‘I’m so sorry this has happened, Freddie,’ Bella said, her voice slightly wobbly. ‘It’s completely unacceptable.’ Frightened by the emotions nearly getting the better of her, she took a breath.

‘Why don’t you take Freddie inside,’ Nina said. ‘And I’ll go and find his coat.’

Bella agreed and led him into the warmth of the classroom then pulled up a chair for him to sit opposite her. After settling him, she fetched his water bottle from Nina’s classroom along with some tissues.

‘Where are you hurt, Freddie?’