‘I’m so sorry this has all happened, Mrs March.’

‘Ruby, please. And thank you.’

‘Ruby. Yes, it’s all very unfortunate. Now, Mary’s told me—’

‘Mary?’ I stabbed my nails into my palm. Another daughter? Was she going to say Zach had done something bad too? ‘Honestly, Zach’s such a good lad normally, he didn’t—’

‘I’m sure. But Mary says he just got – waylaid, as it were.’

‘I mean, honestly, he would never have – I mean, I worry that because his dad died…’ I was rambling frantically. ‘I will get him back under control. He just needs some—’

‘Ruby!’ Paul raised a hand as Pat trundled in. ‘Please, we just want to offer our support.’

‘Support?’ I repeated stupidly. ‘Oh.’

The pair looked at one another as relief flooded my veins.

‘I’ll call Mary.’ Pat was still at the door.

‘Your situation fills me with great sorrow.’ Paul offered me a plate of dense-looking scones. ‘It must be very testing.’

‘No thanks.’ I declined the scones warily, wondering which particular situation he meant. ‘Ye-es. It is a bit.’

‘But you’re not alone, you know.’

‘No?’ I checked the time, anxious about leaving Zach for too long.

‘No, because God is here. As Matthew says, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. He always walks by your side, in times of trouble.’

How alone did I feel now though in the bosom of this warm smelly house? Tears threatened; I swallowed them down. How close to the edge was I?

I think we were equally relieved when Pat arrived back in the room, breathing noisily.

‘Completely engrossed! Such a swot, Mary! She’s hoping to follow Laz to Imperial or try for Oxbridge – would be the first girl in the family.’

I thought sadly of Zach’s future. What future though? What if there was no future at all?

‘You know’ – I half stood, panicking – ‘I think perhaps I should get back now.’

The door opened and I sat again.

‘Ah, Mary, come in, love, come in.’ Paul was jovial as a toothy redhead, around the same age as Zach, entered the room, back very straight. ‘Do you know Mrs March?’

‘Ruby, please.’ I tried to smile. ‘We’ve not really met, have we?’

‘I don’t think so.’ Short-haired and solid, Mary had her mother’s figure and her father’s serious eyes. ‘Sorry for your loss,’ she said gravely, and I felt the most horrible jolt.

‘It’s been so trying for you, I can’t imagine.’ Pat refilled my untouched tea. My cup nearly runneth over, I thought wryly.

‘But the wee lamb wants to help, don’t you, Mary?’

‘Yes, Mary overheard something that’s worried her.’ Paul sat back. ‘Can you share it with Mrs March?’

‘I – well, normally, I don’t like to tell tales,’ she said stiffly.

‘Rightly handling the word of truth, love, as Paul tells Timothy so succinctly in the Bible,’ her father reassured her. ‘Go on, Mary, please.’