Elizabeth is Missing

When Maud tells Carla that she went to Elizabeth’s house, Carla mentions more news stories about terrible things happening to older people. Maud writes them down on scraps of paper without knowing why. Carla reminds Maud not to go out, but when Carla leaves, Maud goes to Elizabeth’s house to check on her again.

Elizabeth’s neighbor—whom Maud never remembers—informs Maud that Elizabeth’s son Peter has been removing things from the house, which is a good thing because the place was “full of rubbish” (49). Her words upset Maud. The neighbor believes Elizabeth may be with Peter and gives Maud Peter’s phone number. Maud feels like a “silly old woman” (51).

Maud thinks back to her childhood when Sukey went missing. Frank provided Maud’s mother “extras” despite rationing. Maud’s mother hid this from her husband, and Douglas disapproved. Sukey’s mother and father both went to her house to look for Sukey but could find no sign of her or Frank.

Maud asked her father if she could join the search for her sister, and her father agreed. There was no sign of Frank and Sukey at Frank’s house, but Maud noticed a box of Army rations in the abandoned stables.