Winona had a long nose - her mother had always said it was long enough to pick a winkle - well, that nose was quivering now, scenting trouble. She went to the crate and looked at it just as Heidi, the young maid, walked through the door.

‘There’s a Mr Blackley up top, wants to know where Ginelle is. Says he’d arranged to see her tonight.’

Winona turned, pulling herself up to her full height. ‘How many bloody times do I have to tell you, girl, knock before you enter a room!’

Heidi blinked rapidly, a nervous habit that drove Winona to distraction. ‘And for fuck’s sake, stop blinking blinking!’

Heidi, all of eleven and looking nine, blinked even harder. ‘Me mum says if you shout at me it won’t get any better, it’s me nerves like.’

Winona raised her eyes to the ceiling.

‘Tell Mr Blackley that Ginelle will be along shortly, then nip round her mother’s and see if she’s there. Since she became Briony’s blue-eyed girl, she’s really started pushing her bleeding luck! Well you tell her that she can get her arse round here, she still works in this house as a whore no matter what else she might be involved in, and I run this place for Briony Cavanagh. I am the head girl, and I ain’t putting up with tardiness!’

‘With what?’ Heidi’s voice was incredulous.

‘Just go and do what I say, will you!’ Winona made a conscious effort to keep her voice down, but this child really was the limit.

After that, Winona was called on to sort out more than one petty drama, so she didn’t open the crate until nine fifteen. It was an act she was to regret all her life.

Briony watched with shining eyes as Kerry came on stage. The lights were dimmed and Kerry looked much too pretty and much too young to be a real singer, but the audience were with her, Briony picked that much up from the atmosphere.

The first few bars were played by Evander Dorsey then Kerry began to sing.

As she began to sing the people who had still been chatting paused to look and listen properly. The whole club seemed to quieten and Kerry, feeling the reaction, put more and more emotion into the song.

As the last few bars were played, she was greeted with a standing ovation, drinks were raised and feet thumped on the wooden floors.

Briony laughed with delight. She had known this was going to happen, she had counted on it.

She was still clapping and smiling when Tommy came to the table and whispered in her ear.

Jonathan, clapping and smiling himself, was shocked to see Briony’s face drain of all colour. She got up from the table, smiled half-heartedly, said her goodbyes then immediately left the club.