‘You were in the house that night,’ Kitty said. ‘Upstairs in the bedroom, filming what was being done to that poor girl. And later, you brought Robert to the house and let him threaten me. Do you remember that, Ursula? He came into my bedroom and put his hands around my neck and told me he would kill me if I ever told anyone what had happened.’

Ursula frowned.

‘I really have no idea what you’re talking about. It was such a long time ago, darling.’

‘I saw you.’

‘Please.’ Ursula held up a hand. ‘Whatever you think you saw, you need to stop. Losing you destroyed me. But you’re back now. We should be celebrating, not finding ways to blame each other for what happened. I thought you were dead, Kitty, and I can’t bear for you to think I was in any way involved with what happened to you. How could you? I’m your mother. I would have done anything to protect you and keep you safe.’

‘Bríd Keenan.’

Something flickered across Ursula’s face. Fear. For the first time since they’d been here, she was frightened of where this conversation was going.

‘It took me a while to work it out,’ Kitty said. ‘But I’ve had nothing but time to think about everything. Twenty-three years of it. You used to take me into work with you sometimes. I remember Bríd. She was doing work experience for Robert. A fifteen-year-old girl from the Travelling community. It was part of his persona, wasn’t it? Doing his bit to help the Travellers. Except what people didn’t know is that the young girls who did work experience were expected to do a few other things as well, weren’t they?’

Ursula stood up.

‘I refuse to stay here a moment longer and listen to any of this. How dare you come into my house after all these years and start throwing accusations at me? I am not the villain here, Kitty. Oh, I’m sure your sister’s done a fine job of filling your head with lies about me. But that’s all they are. Lies! I am a decent woman who has had to endure more than any mother ought to. On top of that, I’ve just discovered both my husbands lied to me. It’s too much. Can’t you see that?’

She started to leave, but Kitty called after her.

‘I’ve been to see her.’

Ursula stopped walking, but kept her back to them so Emer couldn’t see the expression on her face. She could imagine it, though. Cold and angry, her mouth set in a straight line, as she thought of a way to wiggle her way out of this one.