Nancy quickly ran back outside . She was going to head for the rose garden, but stopped short just outside the door .

Nila was kneeling on the path, both hands grasping her head . Frightened sobs racked her body . Alongside her on the path were the shattered remnants of a brick . When Nancy looked up, she saw a gap in the masonry of a parapet surrounding the roof, three stories above . That had to be where the brick had fallen from .

The rear door of the house opened, and Karen and Philip ran outside to see what had happened . When they saw Nila on her knees, they stopped short, unsure how to react . Nancy noticed that neither of them offered to help .

Eleanor ran out behind her niece and nephew, followed by Bess, who went straight to Nancy's side . Above them, a second story window flew open, and a frightened and concerned Cecilia leaned out .

Nancy went to Nila and knelt beside her . "Are you all right ?" Nancy asked, helping her to her feet .

"Yes, I --- I think so," Nila stammered . "That brick ---- it came out of nowhere ! I was just so --- so stunned . It couldn't have missed me by more than a foot !"

"And it's a good thing it did," Nancy said soberly, kicking the remnants of the brick around with her toe . "If it had hit you, it could have killed you ."

"We really ought to have Father hire a mason to check that brickwork," Karen said to Philip as they stood there, looking up toward the balcony around the roof . "Ever since he got sick, the house has been falling apart ."

Nancy was shocked by their insensitivity . But was their blatant indifference evidence of something...