He reached out his hand for her, but she did not take it, or acknowledge it. She said simply, ‘I was violated today by a man who seemed to believe that the only moral he had to observe before taking anything, or assaulting anyone, was that he should want to. The effect that his behaviour had on other people didn’t matter, as far as he was concerned. Shock them, frighten them – so what? Well, I’ll tell you so what. He hurt me beyond belief, and humiliated my sister in front of her husband. And I’m afraid the way you’re talking now, Granger, and the way you’ve acted towards me since I’ve been here – well, they’re both nothing more than less obvious and less offensive examples of the same moral attitude.’

She laid her arm around Sally’s shoulders, and said, ‘You saved Sally’s life, and you saved the rest of us, too. I’m very grateful, and it’s a debt I won’t ever be able to repay you. But as far as your Church is concerned, and as far as your own personality is concerned, I think I’ve seen them today for what they are – or at least for what they could be. I don’t like people who take what they want by force, Granger, and I don’t like people who believe that they are chosen by God, and free of the rules of kindness and sharing that are supposed to govern the rest of us. Now, if you’ll excuse me.’

Granger gave Helmut a backwards glance to see if he was listening, and then turned back to Season. ‘Quite a preacher yourself,’ he told her, with unexpected sourness. But then he smiled, remembering himself, and said solicitously, ‘Well – you’ve been through a bad time. I can understand that you’re feeling kind of off-balance. So the offer’s still open. You can come down to the supermarket and join us if you want – provided you get there before midnight tonight, because that’s when we’re going to start barricading ourselves in.’

‘Thank you,’ Season whispered.

‘As for that other stuff…’ went on Granger. ‘Maybe you’ll feel better when you’ve washed the stench of that animal off of you, and forgotten the stink of his breath.’

Season stood up straight, and the blanket slipped down her shoulders a little, baring her neck. ‘Actually,’ she said, almost hysterically, ‘he used Scope.’

Granger watched her lead Sally towards the staircase, walking awkwardly as an automaton and climb the stairs. He blinked at Carl and Vee in perplexity, and said: ‘Scope?’

Carl said: ‘Thanks for the rescue. Granger. I mean it, sincerely. You saved us. And you too, Helmut. And, Granger. Don’t worry too much about Season. If you went through what she’s just been through, and talked half as much sense, then you’d be twice the preacher you are now.’