do we believe her?

Yes I also believed her.
Travelsafar, I agree with you I think she was keeping herself composed for the interview, which was very well done. It left me feeling very very sad for her.

In answer to the OP. Yes, I believe her.

What a brute he was. Coercive control has been given a lot of publicity in recent months as a recognised form of serious domestic abuse but I think it was unheard of in those days.

I kept thinking of The Archers storyline - convincing a wife she's mentally ill which is easy when she's already on shaky ground with her mental health. A violent outcome is almost inevitable.

The aristocracy were often very cold to their offspring. In some ways you could say they deserved each other but I felt terribly sorry for her. Why did her children abandon her so cruelly?

I'm also puzzled as to how she can survive on a state pension in a wealthy part of London. Surely she must have some private funds?

I agree, its almost that by shutting down her emotions she can cope, maybe if she allowed them to show she would breakdown completely and go under. So sad and such a waste of someones life.

I watched it too and found it very interesting What a strange personality Lady Lucan seems to have, so calm and almost detached like she was talking about someone else no animation or emotion in her eyes
She had a difficult life for sure but losing her children she seemed so accepting and unmoved by it all Maybe she's on medication she did say she'd had a mental health diagnosis earlier She seemed to have very clear recall on all details but total acceptance of each situation she doesn't appear to have any relationship with her children I d have been howling my eyes out she was so composed