Lottie heard her daughter's muffled reply and to a mother's ears it sounded not quite right. Thank eons of motherly instinct passed down from woman to woman through the generations, or just fifteen years dealing with her daughter. Lottie had known when things were wrong with Kate when she still nursed her years before as a tot, so she knew when things were wrong now.

"Kate? Ye alright?" she asked halfway up the stairs.