‘Leave him alone. He’ll come round.’
‘I sent you a note by Gladys,’ she said inconsequently. ‘He met her and took it off her. I’d told you to keep away.’
‘If I’d had it it would have made no difference. You can’t stop a thing like this. Get up and put your things on. I’ll keep an eye on him. Get the children dressed and all.’
She stared at him as though she couldn’t take in what he was saying. She was still holding one of George’s inanimate hands that she had clutched in her first anxiety. ‘Dress them, Abner? What do you mean?’
‘It’s time we cleared. He won’t hurt.’
‘But I couldn’t leave him like this!’
He took her arm. ‘Do what I tell you. Go on! The sooner we clear the better.’
‘Abner, we can’t turn out in the middle of the night.’
‘That’s all right. You won’t come to no harm. I’ll look after you.’
‘Abner, I can’t!’ she wailed. ‘You don’t know what you’re asking.’