Ogden cried out in pain as he was propelled into the nearest brick wall with a force that took the breath out of his body. He swung round, aware of the pale blur of a face and swung a fist instinctively, catching the Gunner high on the right cheekbone.

It was the only hit he was to make that night. A boot caught him under the right kneecap, a left and a right screwed into his stomach and a knee lifted into his face as he keeled over, for the Gunner was never one to allow the Queensberry rules to get in his way in this sort of affair.

Ogden rolled over in the rain and the Gunner kicked him hard about the body half a dozen times, each blow judged to a nicety. Ogden lay there, face against the pavement, more frightened than he had ever been in his life, expecting to meet his end at any moment.

Instead, his assailant squatted beside him in the darkness and said in a strangely gentle voice, ‘You don’t know who I am, but I know you and that’s all that matters. Now listen carefully because I’m only going to say this once. You’ll get your cards and a week’s pay in the post Monday. In the future, you stay away from Crowther’s yard. Make any kind of trouble at all, union or otherwise, and I’ll get you. He grabbed a handful of Ogden’s hair. ‘Understand?’

‘Yes.’ Ogden could hardly get the word out as fear seized him by the throat.

‘See that you do. Now where’s the key to the outside gate?’

Ogden fumbled in his left hand pocket, the Gunner took the yale key from him, slammed him back hard against the pavement and walked away.

Ogden got to his knees, dizzy with pain and pulled himself up against the wall. He caught a brief glimpse of the Gunner running through the lighted area under one of the lamps and then he was alone again. Quite suddenly, and for the first time since childhood, he started to cry, dry sobs tearing at his throat as he turned and stumbled away through the darkness.

Crouched by the open doorway in the loft above the old barn in the exact position the Gunner had occupied earlier, the Rainlover waited patiently, wondering whether the man would return.

The door opened for the second time in ten minutes and the girl appeared, framed against the light, so close that he could see the worry on her face. He started to get up and beyond through the darkness, there was the creaking of the judas gate as it opened. A moment later, the Gunner appeared.

He paused at the bottom of the steps and tossed the key up to Jenny. ‘This is yours.’

She glanced at it briefly. ‘What happened?’

‘Oh, you might say we came to an understanding. He’s agreed not to come back. In return he gets his cards and a week’s pay, first post Monday morning.’