I sat with Peggy who rocked Cookie in her lap, the little bow on the top of her head gone missing in the fracas. Petunia perched on Peggy's other side, nudging the nervous little dog every once in a while with her wet nose. Crew and Robert talked at the entry to the sitting room while a stretcher wheeled past, Ruth's silent form laid out on it as the paramedics took her away.

"Still out cold," Crew said, nodding to Peggy. "You're okay, Mrs. Munroe?"

"I will be, dear," ...