Vita, his daughter, came into the room with a glass of tea, her harassed face more deeply lined than usual. She had wanted Isaac desperately as a young girl. She had got him, thanks to her father and a good sum of money, had borne his children and loved him. Now he had betrayed her, and not only her but his children and her father. She felt responsible for her husband’s actions and as she looked at her father’s grave countenance her heart constricted. She had brought him this low. Had been the instrument of his downfall. He owed money everywhere now, and it galled him. Soon the talk would start, and in the Jewish community that was fatal. If you had no money, you had no power.

‘Drink your tea, Father. Tommy Lane will be here soon. He’s a reasonable man, a decent man. He’ll understand.’

‘So, my daughter, you want me to beg to a street urchin, is that it? Me, the chief gold merchant in the East End, whose credit was always the best?’

‘If he was good enough for you to borrow his money, the least you can do is give him the benefit of your honesty, Father. Who knows? Maybe he’ll take an offer of so much a week until you’re better fixed.’

Solly laughed nastily.

‘Tommy Lane isn’t a tally man. He won’t want his five thousand pounds back at a rate of fifty pounds a week, for God knows how long! He’ll want the lump sum, plus the ten per cent interest and the five per cent handling charge! Now leave me alone, for the love of God. Take your wittering somewhere else.’

Vita stared stonily at the gun in front of her father. He was still touching it and she shook her head.

‘As if we haven’t enough troubles, you want to give us more! Isaac has gone, your money’s gone. We have to try and sort this thing out.’

‘If he was here now I’d shoot him like a dog.’

She snarled through clenched teeth: ‘If he was here now, I’d shoot him myself!’

The shop bell rang and Tommy’s deep booming voice followed it into the back room.

‘Hello, Solly me old mate!’ As he walked into the room with Briony behind him he stopped dead. ‘What’s going on here then?’

Briony’s eyes opened wide at the sight of Solly Goldstern waving an antiquated gun in front of him.

‘Have you gone mad, Solly?’ Tommy’s voice was low now. He put his hand behind him and pushed Briony gently away. She stood in the tiny shop front, her hand to her mouth. She heard Tommy’s voice as he tried to reason with the old man.

‘Give me the gun, Solly.’

Solly’s hand was shaking and Vita walked over to him and took the gun gently from his fingers.