Marcus and Bernadette listened to their daughter with shock and anger registering on their faces.

Delia played her trump card by lifting up her grubby tie dyed tee shirt and showing them the bruises on her chest and shoulders.

‘He really gave me a hiding, but I took it to stop him touching the little one.’

All eyes went to Faith who sat on the settee eating an iced cake.

Marcus felt a great rage in his chest and instinctively put up his hand to stem the erratic pounding of his heart. ‘You mean, he’s been beating up you and the child?’

Delia nodded, her eyes big and round with self-pity.

‘And you never told a bleeding soul about it?’ Marcus’s voice was high with disbelief. Not at his daughter’s story, but at the fact she had taken it all this time without telling a soul.

‘That’s why I never wanted you up the flat, see? Jimmy had people there all the time, drug dealers, all sorts ... He made me keep you away. Then, today, he really went off his head. I thought he’d surely kill me or little Faithey.’

Bernadette swallowed hard. Her maternal instincts were telling her to protect her child and her grandchild, but her womanly instincts were telling her that her Delia, whom she had loved dearly even with all her faults, was a blatant liar. It was one of her less appealing traits but she had been like it since a child. She embroidered everything, eventually believing the story she had created. Bernadette’s eyes flickered to her husband who was now pacing up and down the room, his hands clenched into fists.

‘If Jimmy was beating you and the child, love,’ she asked, ‘why didn’t you ever tell us before? You stayed here for two weeks a while ago when you and him had the last bust up. Why didn’t you tell us then? We never even had an inkling that anything was going on.’

Bernie watched her daughter’s eyes flicker and her face colour up. Delia was floundering. She hadn’t expected anyone to question her. Marcus saved her when he bellowed:

‘For fuck’s sake, Bern. The girl was obviously terrified of him! Can’t you see that?’

Bernie held up a hand.

‘All I’m saying is, she had plenty of occasions to tell us, frightened or not frightened. I mean, think about it, Marcus! She don’t exactly come from a family that scares easily, does she? What with you as her father, and Briony and the boys. This Jimmy Sellars must be some kind of prat if he thought he could get away with all she reckons!’

Delia jumped from her seat, her voice hysterical.

‘That’s why I never said nothing, Dad, because she always takes his side. Always. I knew she wouldn’t believe me.’

She stamped across the expanse of the lounge and dragged Faith up.