Chapter 20

"Wendy, what on earth is going on?"

All the children turned to face their mother at the sound of her voice. Wendy stared anxiously at Mary, open mouthed; but then her eyes hardened a little.

"Peter is in trouble, mother,"

Mary winced.

"Is that where you have been? Where is your father?"

Wendy hesitated, thinking of how her father might be searching the streets for her as they spoke, full of concern for his runaway daughter.

"He… I left him at the hospital." Wendy braced herself as she glanced from her mother's face to the floor.

There was a moment of silence as Mary processed what she had heard. "You walked all the way home… by yourself?! Wendy! How could you be so foolish? I am sure your father did not send you through the streets alone, so he must now be beside himself with worry. How could you?!"

"I am sorry, mother… but I ran all the way."

"And you think that makes it acceptable? Running through the streets at night, alone! Wendy..."

"Mother, please! I had to come. Peter is dying!"

The words that Mary had been about to speak faltered, and vanished from her mind. Instead, she pictured the young boy she had soothed all those weeks ago, as he sat injured and weeping on her Drawing Room floor, and felt a stab of grief and guilt.

In a state of shock, she addressed her daughter again, but without even looking at her. Instead, Mary's gaze remained distant. "I will… I will telephone the hospital, and check that you father is alright."

"Mother, didn't you hear me?!" Wendy watched, incredulously, as Mary began to walk languidly from the room. At her daughter's words, she stopped momentarily, only to continue after the moment's pause.

"Your father will be beside himself with worry," she repeated, thoughtlessly.

Wendy was both perplexed and infuriated by her mother's reaction. "Come on, boys. Let's go."

But as the children attempted to follow Mary from the nursery, the woman regained some of her awareness, and took hold of Wendy's wrist as she passed.

"Where do you children think you are going?"

"I told you, mother… we are going to help Peter."

"Peter is in the best possible hands. Sir Arton will..."

"Sir Arton is the one who just tried to kill Peter!"

Mary's mouth fell open in shock and disbelief as she beheld her furious girl. Wendy's eyes began to fill with tears as she held her mother's gaze, desperately willing for the woman to believe her.

"No. Surely, you are mistaken..."

"Telephone the hospital! Ask father! Ask Dr Leighton! They'll tell you." Knowing that her mother doubted her word, Wendy could no longer prevent the tears from escaping down her cheeks, as Mary blinked down at her.

Finally, Mrs Darling seemed to rouse herself, and drew herself up a little taller.

"I will do just that… But you children are to remain here while I do so."

A rambunctious burst of protest erupted from them all;

"But mother, we must go now!"

"There isn't time!"

"We must save Peter!"

But Mary held firm, closing the nursery door behind her and latching it from the outside.

Wendy and the boys stood dumbfounded; never before had their mother locked them in. John stepped forward and tried the door handle, in vain.

"I don't believe it. Whatever is wrong with her?"

"She really does hate Peter now, doesn't she." Michael murmured.

"Come on," Wendy called to them all, almost brightly, as she marched across the room. The boys all stared after her in bewilderment, only beginning to comprehend her meaning as she hoisted open the window.