I've been considering Mrs. Churhill's illness, whether it is real or not and have thought about the possibility that it could and probably is both. It sounds to me as if she has been using 'illness' whether real or not as a means of control. I am of the opinion that it has been mostly false illnesses or at the very least, exagerations. However it has occurred to me that this doesn't mean that someone who makes up illnesses or exagerates simple maladies could not get ill for real. There is something about Mrs. Churchill's complaint of being cold that has the ring of truth in it. The problem with anyone who complains of illness when there is seemingly none or very little---crying wolf, if you will---is that people are less likely to believe them when they are truly ill and so you get this uncertainty amongst the characters as to what could be the truth in regards to Mrs. Churchill.