I've thought long and hard about this since I came onto the forum,,first thinking it could be Sheila being so ill,,but she wasn't the only one who was ill in that household.
It wasn't all about Sheilas' illness,,but the way in which the girl was driven into her illness by her stern and overly strict mother whose behaviour had overshadowed any hope of normality as far as Sheila was concerned. Junes' screaming fits when she caught Sheila in the field,,then another " do " when the divorce was looming. The woman was hysterical.
There are so many facets to consider regarding the mental fragility of June and her lack of reasoning.
Sheila was craving love and nobody understood her. Junes high expectations of Sheila hit rock bottom and June must have been mortified at the way things turned out,,but she only had herself to blame.
No wonder her and the twins dreaded going to WHF. Sheilas' loves of her life being forced to pray at every opportunity.This was NOT normal behaviour.
I would say that what clinched it for me was when I'd read something in Claire Powells book,,a very " anti-Bamber " author,,and because I actually saw in black and white,my thoughts that had been mulling around in my mind,I then decided to stick with it and set up a picture in my mind of what had happened.