That’s what did it. Molly stood up, and before anyone could do anything she opened her mouth. ‘Oh, lessons have been learned, all right: the likes of you can get away with stealing from the likes of me, but you will never get away with speaking down to me, you cheeky fucking pup. Water is a human right, and in the absence of laws protecting the people of Ireland from ruling-class corruption, I will do whatever is necessary to have my say and win the day and you, Judge Whatever-your-name-is, can go fuck yourself.’

The intake of breath was audible. The ripple of ‘Oh sweet Jesus’ was palpable. Jack made a low whining noise; Grace put her arm around him to hold him up. Davey covered his face with his hand, Juliet smiled so wide Molly wondered if her cheeks would explode, and Molly herself, she just felt bone-tired. Sorry.

Of course the judge sent her down for contempt of court. She would be held in the women’s prison known as the Dóchas Centre until she returned to the court to apologise.

Pauline wasn’t quite clear on what was happening. ‘I don’t understand,’ she said when Sergeant Kevin Fogarty stood up and reached out to take Molly’s arm.

‘Where are you going?’ Pauline asked.

‘Prison,’ Nicole said.

‘Ah no.’

‘To be fair, you can’t go around telling judges to you-know-what,’ Thomas said.

‘Ah no,’ Pauline said again, and tears burned her eyelids.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Molly said.

‘Let’s go,’ Sergeant Fogarty said. He turned to Jack, Grace, Davey and Juliet. ‘Give us a few minutes – wait outside, I’ll find you,’ he said, and Jack nodded.

‘Molly?’ Jack asked.

‘Don’t start, Jack, please don’t start.’

Not fully appreciating the implications, Jack found himself caught up in the moment. ‘You’re standing up for what you believe in, just like you always have. I’m proud of you,’ he said. ‘And . . . well . . . fuck them.’

She grabbed him and kissed his face. ‘Love ya, Jack.’

‘Love ya, Molls.’

She walked with Sergeant Fogarty to the holding cells at the back of the courthouse.

‘What now?’ she said.

‘Now I try to talk some sense into you. You can apologise before the day is out.’

‘No way.’

‘It’s prison, Molly, not a day at the flipping zoo.’

She patted his arm. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she said, but she wasn’t fine – she was determined to suffer. Sorry.

Chapter Seventy-Two: Jack

Chapter Seventy-Two

Jack

ONCE THE REALITY OF their situation was in sharp focus, Jack needed to sit down for a minute or two. The thought of his wife doing time in a prison cell was as unbelievable as it was unbearable.

‘What did you go and support her for?’ Grace asked Jack.

‘Sure what else could I do?’ he said. ‘The damage is done, Gracie.’

‘I’ll kill her,’ Grace said.