In the distance she saw a hare, leaping in the long grass. She walked towards it. In the sunlight its coat had a red tinge and she saw Briony then. Briony lying in the big bed with Henry Dumas; Briony with her tiny hands and feet and her head of red hair. Eileen felt the familiar heaving of her stomach and swallowed hard. She hadn’t eaten again today. She never had an appetite, and the more her mother went on at her about eating, the less appetite she seemed to have. She had taken to forcing down an evening meal and then, when no one was looking, forcing it back up, up and out of her body. Enjoying the emptiness once more. Hating the feeling of being replete, of being filled with the food her sister’s degradation bought. It was evil food, bought with evil money.

She was walking fast again and the hare, seeing her approach, skittered away with wide, frightened eyes. A man was walking nearby with his dog. He noticed the girl and nodded at her. He frowned as she turned abruptly away from him. His dog, a small black mongrel, ran to her, jumping up at her dress in excitement and muddying the ragged hem with dirty paws. The man walked towards her and, pulling the dog away from her with one hand, put out the other to steady her.

Eileen saw his hard work-worn hand on her flesh and looked fearfully into his face. Pushing his hand from her, she backed away from him, eyes wild.

The man stared at her, puzzled. Thinking that the dog had frightened her, he walked towards her to apologise, to make amends, when Eileen opened her mouth wide and began shouting. She was threatening him, mouthing obscenities the like of which he had never heard before from a woman, let alone a young girl. She stumbled away from him, her arms outstretched, her face screwed up with hatred.

It was then that Abel came upon her. He had witnessed the scene and as the man saw the huge musclebound individual put his arms around the shouting girl, he felt fear overwhelm him.

‘I swear I never touched her, mister. I never touched her! The dog was jumping at her, that’s all. She just went mad, stark staring mad ...’

Abel held tightly on to Eileen. Strangely she never tried to fight him off but held on to him, sobbing into his barrel chest.

‘He touched me, Abel, he was touching me.’

‘I know, Eileen girl, I know. Calm down and I’ll take you home to your mother.’

He motioned with his hand to the man to go away and leave them. He grabbed his dog by the scruff of its neck and almost ran in his haste to escape.