Madeline's eyebrow rose. She was liking this woman less and less, and bristled that she'd had the nerve to show up here, now, and on top of that to throw a backhanded insult at Bobby, the very person she was demanding to see. If she talked like this to a perfect stranger, what on earth would she say to him? She shook her head and opened her mouth to flat-out refuse the request, unwilling to risk Bobby's well-being taking a step back now that he was actually doing better, but before she could get a word out, she heard the rhythmic thumping of someone descending the stairs and her heart sank.

She moved toward the stairs as if to form a protective barrier as Bobby descended in a t-shirt and sweatpants, hesitating a few steps from the bottom with a brief grimace when he realized he was hardly dressed for company. "Sorry, I didn't know we had--" the words died in his mouth as he stared at the woman standing in the living room, her face familiar despite having never met her in person. "Mrs. Allerdyce?" he said, confusion and a little dread in his tone. Immediately, the words almost tripping over each other as he clung to the banister, he added, "Is John okay?"