‘So you’re telling me I spent the night in an Old Bill shop because that little mare wanted to get even with her bloke? I nearly had a murder charge hanging round me neck, and The Aunt’s been running round like a blue-arsed fly sorting it all out, and it was all because that little slut wanted Jimmy Sellars to get a good hiding. Jesus wept! We could all be doing a ten stretch now, and all because that fucking drug head wanted her boyfriend given a slap! I don’t believe I’m hearing this. Where is she?’

Briony held his arm, digging her nails in with the force of her grip.

‘Calm down, Danny, calm down. Losing your rag is what got you into this. If you take a bite out of her now, she’ll crumble. Believe me when I say she’s learnt her bloody lesson. She knows what she’s done. You shouting and hollering at her ain’t going to achieve anything.’

Marcus spoke for the first time.

‘It’s funny, you know, I always had a soft spot for Delia, more so than Rebecca. But at this minute I could cheerfully break her neck, I could. I could snap it like a twig when I think of what she’s caused!’

‘Calm down, Marcus. It’s as Briony said. Delia isn’t very stable at the moment. If you go hammering her, there’s no telling what she’ll do. I never thought I’d say this but that girl is trouble.’

Delia had heard the raised voices coming from below and her heart was beating a tattoo in her chest.

The worst of it all was not so much the fact that Jimmy was dead, though she was very sorry about that, but the loss of face. The being found out for what she was. And the more she thought about what she was, the more she needed something to take the edge off it. Danny and Boysie and her father were now aware that she was a liar, a troublemaker and, worst of all, a child beater. Her mother had already informed her that the child was never leaving the house with her again. Well, she wasn’t too trashed about that. Faithey was a nice enough kid, but she did rather cramp Delia’s style. All she had been was a way to get Jimmy Sellars, and she had done that much.

Now Jimmy was gone and Delia had blotted her copybook, she had to look for a new life.

Boysie was pleased at his reception from Suzannah who had literally thrown herself into his arms. Boysie picked her up on her front step and Doris Rankins stood at her window and nodded to herself with glee.

Her girl had picked wisely.

Boysie kissed Suzy fervently, feeling her hard little breasts squeezing against his chest.