‘You don’t shut that fleabag up, I’ll kick its teeth down its fucking throat,’ said Shauna.

Claire touched Blue’s big head, and he subsided.

‘This right, what they’re all saying?’ asked Shauna, staring intensely at Claire.

Yeah, she might be a slapper, but she was a looker, Claire thought. You had to give her that. Shauna was strong-featured and strong of body. She wasn’t dainty like Claire, and there was no compassion in her eyes. She didn’t like dogs, or horses. But the men always seemed to like her well enough. All except Josh, of course.

‘I dunno. What you been hearing then?’ asked Claire, carrying on with the piebald’s grooming, wishing she’d go away.

‘About you and Josh Flynn. Saying you’re going to be married this autumn.’

‘Well, that’s right,’ said Claire, carrying on brushing, little puffs of dust coming off the piebald’s coat in a cloud. ‘We are.’

‘Christ! You’re joking,’ said Shauna.

Claire stopped brushing. She turned and looked at Shauna’s grimly set face. ‘Why would I be joking?’ she asked.

Shauna’s gaze grew spiteful. ‘Because, stupid, he could do about a thousand times better than you, any day of the week.’

Claire half-smiled at that. ‘Oh, you mean you? Sorry – don’t think he’s interested.’

‘You think that, do you?’ Shauna stepped forward. Blue started that low-level growl at the back of his throat again. ‘I mean it,’ said Shauna.

‘Shut up, Blue,’ said Claire, watching Shauna warily.

She’d had run-ins with Shauna her whole life, all the kids in the camp had. Shauna was the leader, the strong one, and she bullied the rest of them mercilessly. Claire had endured a lifetime of Shauna’s insults and snide remarks. She’d been on the receiving end of a punch or two, and the odd smack upside the head. And she knew Shauna was royally pissed off about her and Josh finally making it legal.

‘Yeah, shut up or I’ll shut you up, you stinking mutt,’ said Shauna to Blue.

Then her dark eyes fixed on Claire. ‘Christ, who’d believe it? Josh Flynn, throwing himself away on the likes of you.’

Claire’s heart was thumping, but she refused to be intimidated, even if Shauna did put the shits up her. Yes, Shauna was jealous. But Claire was the winner here, she had to remind herself of that. Shauna was too forceful, too bold, for Josh’s taste. Claire was the one he wanted.

‘Josh loves me,’ she said. She showed Shauna her left hand, the cheap imitation diamond glittering. Soon, Josh would buy her a better one. He’d promised. And Josh always kept his word.