‘No. I’m staying in.’

‘I’ve got to dash to the theatre. I’m late as it is. Anna, would you telephone Tommy here, in about an hour — make some excuse or other.’

‘What’s worrying you?’

‘Tommy went down to Richard’s office this afternoon. Yes, I know, you could have knocked me down with a feather. Richard rang me and said: I insist Tommy comes to see me at once. So I said to Tommy: Your father insists you go to see him at once. Tommy said, all right mother, and got up and went. Just like that. To humour me. I got the feeling if I’d said, Jump out of the window, he’d have jumped.’

‘Has Richard said anything?’

‘He rang about three hours ago, ever so sarcastic and superior, saying I didn’t understand Tommy. I said I was glad he did, at least. But he said Tommy had just left. But he hasn’t come home. I went up to Tommy’s room and he’s got half a dozen books on psychology from the library on his bed. He’s been reading them all at once from the look of it … I must rush, Anna, it takes me half an hour to make up for this part — bloody stupid play, why did I ever say I’d be in it? Well, good night.’

Ten minutes later Anna was standing by her trestle table, preparing to work on her blue notebook, when Molly rang again. ‘I’ve just had a call from Marion. Can you believe it? — Tommy went down to see her. He must have taken the first train after leaving Richard’s office. He stayed twenty minutes and then left again. Marion said he was very quiet. And he hasn’t been there for ages. Anna, don’t you think it’s odd?

‘He was very quiet?’

‘Well, Marion was drunk again. Of course Richard hadn’t come. He’s never home before midnight these days — there’s that girl in his office. Marion went on and on about it. She was probably going on and on to Tommy too. She was talking about you — she’s got it in for you all right. So I suppose Richard must have told her he had been having a thing with you.’

‘But we didn’t.’

‘Have you seen him again?’

‘No. Nor Marion either.’

The two women stood by their respective telephones, silent; if they had been in the same room they would have exchanged wry glances or smiles. Suddenly Anna heard: ‘I’m terrified, Anna. Something awful is happening, I’m sure of it. Oh God, I don’t know what to do, and I must rush — I’ll have to take a taxi now. Good-bye.’