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Chapter seven

That night Sarah waited in her room, though she didn’t think that Carol Boynton would come. She was just going to bed when she heard Carol knock on the door. ‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ Sarah said, as she let the girl in. ‘Let me get you some tea.’ Carol was nervous, but calmed down while she drank her tea.

‘I’m a doctor, you know,’ said Sarah. ‘I think your mother is very interesting - from a medical point of view. She may have a disease that makes her want to control people.’ Sarah said this on purpose - she wanted Carol to think about Mrs Boynton in a different way.

Carol stared. This was a new idea to her. ‘It’s so good to talk to you!’ she said with relief. ‘Ray and I have had some strange ideas lately.’

‘If you’re unhappy,’ said Sarah, ‘why don’t you leave home?’

‘We - we can’t,’ said Carol. ‘Mother wouldn’t let us. And where would we go? What would we do? We don’t have any money.’ Sarah could see that Carol was upset, so she changed the subject. ‘Do you like your stepmother?’ she asked.

Slowly Carol shook her head. ‘I hate her,’ she whispered. ‘Ray and I wish she would die.’ Again Sarah changed the subject. ‘Tell me about your elder brother, Lennox.’

‘Something’s wrong with Lennox,’ said Carol. ‘He doesn’t speak much anymore. Nadine is very worried about him.’

‘Have Nadine and Lennox been married long?’ asked Sarah. ‘About four years,’ replied Carol. ‘Lennox used to go out secretly at night, though he wasn’t allowed to - none of us were. Mother was very angry when she found out. Then she asked Nadine - she’s a poor relative of my father’s - to come and stay. Nadine was training to be a hospital nurse. She came and stayed with us for a month. Mother was very pleased when Lennox and Nadine fell in love. She helped them get married very quickly, and they now live with us.’

‘Did Nadine want to live with you?’ asked Sarah.

Carol hesitated. ‘I don’t think so,’ she said, ‘but she didn’t mind at first. After a while she wanted to leave so she and Lennox could live on their own, but mother wouldn’t let them. I don’t think mother likes Nadine any more.’

‘And what about your sister?’ asked Sarah.

‘Ginevra?’ said Carol. ‘I’m worried about Ginevra. She’s been acting very strangely lately. She - she doesn’t always know what she’s doing - she frightens me sometimes. And she won’t see a doctor.’ Suddenly Carol stood up. ‘I must go now,’ she said. ‘You’ve been very kind to talk to me. You must think we’re a very strange family.’

‘Oh, every family is strange,’ said Sarah. ‘Please visit me again - and bring your brother, if you like.’

‘I’ll come tomorrow!’ said Carol excitedly. ‘Goodnight, and thank you.’

Carol went back to her room, opened the door and then gasped with surprise. Mrs Boynton was sitting on her bed. ‘Where have you been, Carol?’ demanded Mrs Boynton, staring at the girl with her horrible black eyes.

Carol’s heart beat faster with fear. ‘To see Miss King - Sarah King.’

‘Is that the girl who spoke to Raymond last night?’

‘Yes, Mother.’

‘You are not going to see Miss King again, Carol - do you understand?’

‘Yes, Mother.’

‘Do you promise?’ said Mrs Boynton, standing up with difficulty and using her walking stick.

‘Yes, yes - I promise,’ said Carol in a dull, empty voice.

‘Good.’ Mrs Boynton went out and shut the door.

Carol felt sick. She lay down on her bed and cried and cried. While she was talking to Sarah, Carol had been reminded that there was a world outside - a world of sunlight and trees and flowers. But now she was back inside the black walls of her prison.