His own blow tore her out of his grip and the bodice of the red dress ripped and came away and Ruth flew backwards to fall upon the floor.

She lay there, partly stunned, and the torn away bodice had left bare her breasts, which were white and perfect with buds for nipples, and now a tiny thread of scarlet spilled there, not from the dress but from the corner of her mouth. And for a moment Ruth looked, as she lay there, the flawless image of the media vampire, before her pale face turned puce on one side and began to swell.

‘Get up,’ Adamus said.

‘No,’ Ruth said through her thickening lips. ‘You’ll only do it again.’

‘Get up,’ he said, ‘and face them.’

So then Ruth got up, and holding one arm across her breasts, she stared at the Scarabae.

She stared and they stared back at her.

They did not ask her if she had done it, or why. She did not deny anything or boast of anything. All their faces were the faces of icons. Something was conveyed between them perhaps, without look or word.

The silence was very long.

When Rachaela looked at Adamus, his face too had become like theirs. He left Ruth where she stood and came towards the doorway. And all of them parted to let him by.

Only Rachaela caught at his arm.

‘No, Adamus. You can’t go—what will they do?’

‘Take your hand off me,’ he said. ‘Don’t force me to make you do it.’

Her hand fell and he went by her and away into the dark of the corridor.

She said to the Scarabae loudly, ‘What will you do?’ And she was frightened, but it seemed for herself not Ruth. ‘Stephan—what will you do?’

Stephan said, ‘We must confine her. That was what was always done.’

Miranda said, Tn the attic.’

‘Locked in the attic out of harm’s way,’ said Miriam.

Sasha said, ‘For many years.’

‘You’re crazy,’ Rachaela said, only a repetition. ‘She’s just a child. A sick child. She needs help.’

‘Locked away,’ said Stephan. ‘Carlo,’ he said.

And Carlo went forward to Ruth, and as he did so he took off his jacket, and when he came to her he offered it.

But Ruth spumed the jacket, only keeping her arm firmly across her naked breasts.

Carlo put one hand on Ruth’s shoulder, arresting her.

She put up her head arrogantly, and let herself be propelled towards the doorway. And as she passed through the Scarabae, or perhaps as she saw Rachaela, Ruth smiled again. But now it was the smile of a clown, lopsided from the damage of the blow. With difficulty she enunciated: ‘You deserved it.’ And was taken away to the attic above in the dark.

❖

‘Stephan,’ she said, ‘you don’t understand.’

Stephan sat staring at the hearth, where the fire had been in winter.