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The ward door opened.
Margaret came in leaning on Bianca's arm, moving quickly. She looked shaken — someone had called her.
"Lucas! I heard Sylvia was in hospital — what happened?"
Bianca glanced at me in the bed. Something flickered in her eyes — quickly suppressed — and then she arranged her face into concern.
"Lucas," she said softly, touching his sleeve. "Is Sylvia all right? I hope you don't blame yourself. Hugo wandered off — it was a misunderstanding."
"You know she didn't mean any harm."
Lucas stood up.
He turned and looked at her. The expression on his face was not one I'd seen before.
Margaret started to say something — Sylvia has a difficult temper, she's always been a bit jealous, a few harsh words never really hurt anyone —
"She miscarried." Lucas's voice was very quiet. One word at a time. "She lost the baby."
Margaret went still. She looked at my abdomen.
"She — she was pregnant? Since when?"
Bianca's colour drained. She took one step back.
Lucas turned to face her fully.
"You told me she'd attacked you like a lunatic. You told me Hugo had been taken. Those exact words."
Bianca's gaze moved away from his. She started to say something — I was scared, I panicked, I couldn't think straight —
"Because you panicked," Lucas said, "I put my wife in a bathtub and killed my own child."
Bianca started crying. She reached for his arm.
"I didn't know she was pregnant, Lucas. How could I have known? And even so — you still have Hugo. Hugo is yours too. He's your blood."
He pulled away from her hand.
"Get out."
She stood there as if she hadn't heard.
Margaret moved in, trying to mediate. "Lucas, she was only worried about the boy —"
"The baby's gone, we can always try again —"
"Get out."
From the bed, I said it.
The room went quiet.
They both looked at me.
"All of you. Get out of my room."
Lucas turned immediately, placing himself between them and the bed.
"Mum. Take her and go. I don't want either of them in front of Sylvia again."
Margaret started to object. One look from Lucas and she stopped.
Bianca bit her lip. She let herself be led out, not quite concealing the look she shot back at me as the door closed.