‘You’ll never do to anyone what you did to me, are you listening?’ Her voice was low in the room. The three people at the door watched her in the firelight with a strange fascination. ‘You tried to ruin me, Henry, and you failed, you’ll always fail, because as God is my witness, the next time I have any dealings with you, you’ll die. Ronnie Olds is dead, so’s Bolger. You’ve no one and nothing on your side now. All you have left is me, and I’m gonna watch you from now on, mate. If you so much as shit I’ll know what colour it is. That will be my revenge on you, boy. I’ll see you never play your little games again.’

Henry looked up at her, and even through his pain he realised that in trying to destroy her, he had inadvertently destroyed himself.

‘You so much as breathe at Benedict and I’ll hear about it. I’ve eyes in your house and in your workplace. My boy is all I have in the world, and thanks to you and Isabel I have to look after him from afar. Well, you’ll toe the line after tonight, Henry big man Dumas. You’ll be a proper father to him. If you so much as look at him out of place, I’ll ring your fucking neck. Do you understand me?’

He looked up at her, his face and mouth bleeding profusely.

‘DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?’

Her voice echoed around the room and Henry nodded, the action making him wince.

‘You sicken me. You make me hate like I’ve never hated before. You made me what I am today, and I’ll never forgive you for it.’

She turned from him and walked to the door. Looking into Christine Howell’s face, she sneered, ‘I know you.’ She looked at Tommy who was still watching her with awe. ‘We went to school together, we was in the same class.’ Then, taking back her arm, she slapped the woman a heavy blow to the side of her face.

‘You dirty bitch, you’d give your little child to him? Your own flesh and blood!’ The little girl, her face pressed into Tommy’s thigh, began to whimper. Briony shook her head in wonder.

‘She’s a beautiful child, and you’d let him touch her! You’d deliver her to him on a plate. Well, your game’s over now. You and that child are leaving this drum tonight. I don’t care where you go or what you do, Christine, but I’ll keep my eye on this little girl. I’ll make sure you look out for her or you’ll answer to me. By Christ, you’ll answer to me!’

Kerry watched Evander talking to Glennford. She smiled over at them and waved. They waved back and grinned at her, but Glennford’s grin was forced.