Once she had absorbed the fantastic news that the accounts had been faked, Sheila couldn’t wait to get back home to pass on the glad tidings to her mother. She was so excited she constantly exhorted Harry to go faster, until he was forced to calm her down in case there might be an accident.
‘You don’t understand,’ she urged. ‘Mummy’s been going out of her mind worrying about it all, trying to keep the place tidy – she must be worn out with it all by now. I’ll probably have to call the doctor. There you are.’ She pointed dramatically at the front of the cottage. ‘See, all the curtains are drawn, that means she’s in bed, worn out by it all.’
When they burst in at the front door they found Mrs M sitting back comfortably, her feet up on the sofa, happily sipping her favourite cocoa.
‘Mummy,
