‘I can think of a possible explanation of that, Mr Baines. Probably I do deserve to be called nosey. You see, I busied myself about the possibility of Sydney’s trying for a scholarship; I told your wife I thought he ought to try. I have a strong feeling that with half her mind she agreed with me and wanted him to; but she couldn’t face the idea of his being away from home, so she rejected the idea. But I should think some conflict was set up in her mind, and that results in her sleeping badly and in her unconscious state throwing all the blame on me.’

She thought she spoke plausibly and convincingly. Wesley Baines listened carefully, with frowning attention; but he would not accept it as an explanation of the problem. Under her eyes his expression changed, became harder, less diffident. He edged himself even farther forward in the chair.

‘That sound all right. It might explain, in part. There’s more to it, though. Now I’m gonna ask you a real rude question. Did you ever – accidental-like and meaning no harm, I know – but did you ever say or do anything to draw Em’s attention to the fact she’d married beneath her?’

‘Why on earth should I? Her astonishment was genuine. ‘I wasn’t even aware that she had. I don’t think she has, if you want my frank opinion. What outdated nonsense!’

‘No,’ he said, ‘less be fair. Em, as a nurse, ranked as a officer; I never got beyond sergeant, never wanted to. And even common ordinary nurses don’t look to marry labouring chaps like me; doctors is more their line. Mind you,’ he spoke with great earnestness, ‘I never put on no false front; I towd her just how we’d live and where and what I did fer me living. And she could tell, just from looking at me and listening to me. And till lately, till you come, here, in fact, we’ve been wonderfully happy. And now thass all gone wrong.’

‘Since I came? Or since Sydney was ill?’