‘I don’t know why you’re so worried about how I look, you’re the one going on telly!’

‘Quick, put your hat on, I can hear Lissy sounding the horn.’

Briony pushed her hat on her head and they rushed down the stairs.

Inside the car Lissy smiled. ‘You two look lovely.’ She pulled out of the drive. ‘That Delia’s a cow isn’t she? You know Bernie’s taking on this child as well?’

Briony nodded. ‘In fairness to Bernie, as silly as she can be, she looks after Faithey brilliantly. If Delia was my daughter I’d have got her done with the cat!’

Liselle laughed. ‘Delia’s all right really, she’s just a bit scatty.’

Briony sighed heavily. ‘I don’t know where we got her from. Look at Becky, she’s all right and they come from the same stable... Hold on, you’re going towards Barking!’

‘I promised Gran and Cissy I’d pick them up from Mass first.’

‘You’re cutting it a bit fine ain’t you?’

‘Stop worrying, we’ve all the time in the world.’

As they approached St Vincent’s church, Briony looked at Kerry and said, ‘What’s going on here today? Look at all these cars.’

They pulled up in a space right outside the church.

‘There’s Tommy!’ Briony got out and stared at the people outside the church, all dressed in their Sunday best. Mariah was there, her mother and sisters, nieces, Cissy, crying as usual. She saw women who had worked for her years before, bouncers from her clubs. Bessie Knight and the Velvetones. Even Jonathan La Billière was there, with his usual posse of press photographers. It was as if her whole life had risen up before her eyes.

Tommy walked towards her and grinned. ‘You got here then?’

Liselle opened the boot of her Daimler and took out a posy of flowers. She gave them to Briony and kissed her on the cheek.

Briony stared down at the flowers and opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out.

‘For once in your life, you’re lost for words!’ Taking her none too gently by the arm he led her towards the church.

Briony staggered along beside him, looking at the sea of faces around her, all smiling and laughing. As she walked into the lobby of the church, Benedict was waiting for her. He held out an arm.

‘I’m going to give you away, Mother.’

Tommy brought a black velvet box from his pocket, took out the choker he had bought her years before and tied it gently around her throat.

‘I hope you’re not going to say “I won’t”, Bri. This little lot was murder to arrange and cost a small fortune.’ She looked up into his face and saw the uncertainty there. She shook her head.