‘I said she wouldn’t remember anything.’ Sarah shook her head sadly.
‘What do you mean?’ Louisa looked at Sarah for further reference. ‘What’s going on?’
‘You were in the woods,’ Richard enlightened her.
‘No, I wasn’t.’ Louisa paused. ‘Was I?’
Sarah reached a hand across the table and gave Louisa’s a gentle squeeze. ‘I wondered whether to tell you or not, but you gave us a fright and?—’
‘Us?What exactly happened?’
‘I was getting ready for bed when I saw you through the window,’ Richard said. ‘I raced out after you. I found you in the clearing. You were kneeling down, crying uncontrollably.’
‘I – no. I would remember.’ Louisa looked aghast as she ran a hand through her hair. ‘Are you sure?’
Sarah nodded.
‘Was I in there long?’
‘About ten minutes,’ Richard replied. ‘I went to you eventually, and guided you back out. You were wearing pyjamas and had nothing on your feet.’
‘But that’s absurd. I don’t recall a thing.’
‘We’re worried about you.’
Louisa looked at them both in turn, hoping they would explain things to her.
‘When you didn’t mention it, we thought you were embarrassed,’ Sarah went on. ‘We didn’t think you wouldn’t remember.’
‘I don’t. Is that wrong?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Richard said.
‘I should have gone to the doctors. Perhaps now you’ll let me.’
‘No one is saying you can’t go, Louisa.’ Richard sighed, as if he was speaking to a petulant child. ‘It’s just that there is nothing else they can do for you. You’re on the strongest medication for your condition. And if you start mixing it with other things, imagine the side effects.’
‘You’re not a doctor,’ she said.
Richard sighed. ‘Fine, I’ll make an appointment for you if you want him to go through the same things he discussed with you on the last visit.’
‘That was six months ago!’
‘And you’ve changed since then, personally I feel for the worst. You don’t want to leave Daisy while you get some help, which is probably what will?—’
‘Stay away from Daisy,’ Louisa growled.
‘We have to think of her safety.’
‘I know what you’re up to.’ She pointed to them both. ‘You’re trying to say I’m mentally ill, unable to cope with her so you can get rid of me.’
‘It’s not like that at all,’ Sarah cried.
‘Calm down, Louisa.’ Richard looked at Sarah. ‘See, this is what I mean. She’s unstable.’
‘I am not unstable!’ Louisa screamed. The silence that followed made her realise that they could be right.
‘Well, we’re both here if you want to chat about anything.’ Sarah stood up, urging Richard to do the same. ‘I’d better go and check on Daisy.’
