‘That’s a nice welcome,’ Hannah said, touching that skirt and running her hand up Indy’s back. Maybe this was the release she needed.

Indy extricated herself from the mess and stood up.

‘That’s sexual assault.’

‘Sue me.’ Hannah pulled her close and kissed her. Dorothy was still playing drums in the studio, had moved into a soft shuffle, and Hannah shifted her hips in time, Indy following suit.

Indy smiled. ‘I would if you had any money.’

Hannah felt the dark matter of her atoms transforming into light, the electrons vibrating more in their orbits, the neutrons and protons hugging each other a little tighter in the nucleus.

The front door swung open and banged against the wall.

‘You fucking bitch.’

Emilia Longhorn stood in the doorway, her baby in a buggy a few feet behind her, sucking on a bottle and wiggling her toes. With the sunshine behind her, Emilia looked like an avenging angel. Hannah pushed Indy aside and held out her hands to stop whatever was coming. Emilia strode forwards, lips pressed together, then launched herself at Hannah, grabbing her throat and pushing her to the ground, falling on top of her then raising a fist 223and punching Hannah in the eye. She grabbed Hannah’s hair with her other hand and punched again, this time connecting with the cheek bone, and Hannah felt Emilia’s ring slice the skin, warm blood flowing from her cheek. Hannah kicked and thrashed but Emilia didn’t budge from on top of her. Hannah smelled her perfume, citrus and coconut, heard her breathing and then the baby crying outside, Dorothy’s drumming still thumping upstairs, echoing through the bones of the house as Emilia lifted her fist again. She connected with Hannah’s ear and Hannah heard ringing as she tried to grip Emilia’s wrist and stop the blows. But Emilia ripped her hand free and was swinging her arm down when she was bulldozed by Indy in a rugby tackle, the pair of them tumbling into a display of roses and tulips, scattering blossoms and foliage over the carpet, rolling with a thud into the bottom of the banister.

Hannah put a hand to her cheek and it came away bloody. She propped herself up on her elbows and saw Indy staggering to her feet and throwing a foot into Emilia’s ribs, which made Hannah wince and Emilia cower into a ball, gripping her chest and struggling to breathe.

Indy pushed hair from her face as she stood over the woman. She looked from Emilia to the baby, who had dropped her bottle on the gravel and was scrambling like a landed guppy to get it back, pudgy arms and legs flapping, plaintive cries from her mouth.

Hannah stared at the baby, helpless and now fatherless.

‘Who the hell are you?’ Indy said between breaths.

Emilia got to her hands and knees, then slowly stood up.