When the Devil Drives

going up to sit with my father. I don't want to spoil your tea-party anyfurther.'She felt marginally more cheerful as she walked upstairs. If she'dpersuaded Fiona to pause, even for a second, and take stock of herlife, then she might have done Simon a favour. I only hope hedeserves it, she thought with a sigh, as she went along to her father'sroom.Anthony Chalfont was lying back in his chair, his eyes closed,breathing stertorously.'How is he today, Nanny?' Joanna asked in a low voice.Nanny pursed her lips. 'Not so good, Miss Jo, and that's a fact. Hedidn't seem to know Gresham at all this morning, and he didn't wanthis lunch. Let the whole tray tip on to the floor, just like when he wasa toddler. And he hasn't had a word to say all afternoon. It's as if hecan't hear what's said to him—or won't.''Oh, dear.' Joanna bit her already sore lip, and winced. 'I'll stay withhim for a while, so that you can have a break.''Just as you like, my dear. I'll go and see if the evening paper's comeyet.'Joanna fetched her usual low padded stool, and seated herself besideher father, resting her head against the arm of his chair. It was time,she thought, that she and Simon faced up to the fact that her father'scondition wasn't just a deliberate retreat from unpleasant reality, butwas medical in origin. Her mind shied away from the more obviouspossibilities. However, it seemed clear that in the near future hewould need more specialised and stringent care than Nanny orGresham could provide.