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When I returned, exactly half an hour later, the house was silent Nathan ashing up ain the kitchen sink

He turned as he saw one?’

‘Who?’

‘The sister?’

He glanced behind hi off in her car when I got here Some sort of family roas it?’

‘I don’t know,’ I said ‘I was in theWill’s hair and this woo at hied

I realized he would not be interested in the personal minutiae of Will’s life, even if he knew

‘He’s a bit quiet, though Nice ith the shave, by the way Good to get him out fro roo at the television, which was still paused at the exact moment I had left it

‘Do you want me to turn this back on?’ I said

He didn’t seem to hear me for a minute His head was sunk in his shoulders, the earlier relaxed expression replaced by a veil Will was closed off again, locked behind so I couldn’t penetrate

He blinked, as if he had only just noticeda basket of washing down the hall when I heard thehtly ajar and the voices of Mrs Traynor and her daughter carried down the long corridor, the sound co quietly, all fury gone from her voice now She sounded al they can do Sos are always i in America’

‘Your father keeps a very close eye on all the develop … concrete’

‘He’s so … different now It’s like he’s deter’

‘He’s been like that since the start, George I think it’s just that you didn’t see him apart from when you flew home Back then, I think he was still … detere’

I felt a little unco in on such a private conversation But the odd tenor drewsoftly towards the door,no sound on the floor

‘Look, Daddy and I didn’t tell you We didn’t want to upset you But he tried … ’ she struggled over the words ‘Will tried to … he tried to kill himself’

‘What?’

‘Daddy found hih this only really confiruessed, I felt all the blood drain from me I heard asilence And then Georgina, her voice thick with grief, spoke again

‘The girl … ?’

‘Yes Louisa is here to ain’

I stopped At the other end of the corridor, fro in a low oing on just a few feet away I took a step closer to the door I suppose I had known it since I caught sight of the scars on his wrists It , after all – Mrs Traynor’s anxiety that I shouldn’t leave Will alone for very long, his antipathy to having e stretches of ti useful at all I had been babysitting I hadn’t known it, but Will had, and he had hatedto close it gently I wondered what Nathan kneondered whether Will was happier now I realized I felt, selfishly, a faint relief that it hadn’t been me Will objected to, just the fact that I – that anyone – had been ehts hummed so busily that I almost missed the next snatch of conversation

‘You can’t let him do this, Mu’

‘But it is It is – if he’s asking you to be part of it,’ Georgina protested

The handle stilled into it What about your religion? What about everything you’ve done? What was the point in you even bloody saving him the last time?’

Mrs Traynor’s voice was deliberately calm ‘That’s not fair’

‘But you’ve said you’ll take him What does –’

‘Do you think for a moment that if I said I refuse, he wouldn’t ask so I know it’s hard for him, but it will destroy you and Daddy I know it Think of how you would feel! Think of the publicity! Your job! Both your reputations! Heto even ask How can he? How can he do this? How can you do this?’ She began to sob again