Daniel stood up, hands clasped in front of him, face devoid of expression. Then he looked the judge in the eye and said clearly: ‘Yes, I have, mate. The name’s Cavanagh!’

The judge shook his bewigged head. Looking around the court, he said: ‘Take him down.’

Molly stood up then. Her face streaming tears, she screamed: ‘You dirty bastards, that’s my boy. My Boy! Danny, son, Danny.’ Her voice reverberated around the courtroom as Daniel was escorted from the dock by two burly policemen. On his way down to the holding cells he held up his arms in a victorious gesture and shouted:

‘That’s it, Gran! I’ll be back, I’ll be back!’ His voice was lost as he disappeared below.

Limmington looked at Briony and their eyes locked. She nodded at him almost imperceptibly. It was a job well done.

Chapter Forty-nine

Chapter Forty-nine

Suzy looked around her mother’s front room, breathing in the scent of Airwick and furniture polish. She placed her hands roughly on her stomach, repressing the urge to scream. Her mother popped her head around the door and said; ‘Shall I make you a drink, love? How about a cuppa?’

‘I don’t want anything, leave me alone.’

The woman walked into the room and tried to take her daughter’s hand. Suzy shrugged her off.

‘Oh for crying out loud, leave me be, woman!’

Doreen sat down on a chair and said softly, ‘I know you’re hurting, love, but you must try and keep yourself together; that child will take a lot of looking after - children do. I know you’re upset over Boysie, God knows I am myself.’ She dabbed at the corner of a heavily made-up eye with a tissue. ‘I loved that boy as if he was me own, God rest him.’

Suzy raised her eyes to the ceiling, then, leaning forward awkwardly, she said through gritted teeth. ‘Cut the act, Mum, there’s no one here to see it but me. As for this bloody baby, I don’t want it. I can’t stand being pregnant, and I hate living here.’ She bit her bottom lip to stem the trembling and said brokenly, ‘I’m glad he’s dead, I hated him. I hated everything about him.’