‘And yet, you were made to watch,’ Mrs O’D presses on.

I can’t help it, but a big laugh erupts out of me. Luce shoots a warning glance at me. She must’ve been pretty pissed or knackered last night to have been acting like a Technicolor version of me.

‘I see,’ says Mrs O’D, with a huge effort to contain herself. ‘Now you can take yourself out of here, young lady. Time to go home.’

‘You can’t do that, Mum. She’s hurt,’ Luce says.

‘And how exactly did that happen, Samantha?’ She turns to face me directly.

God, she’s like a dog with a bone this morning. ‘As I say, it was like a dream, or a nightmare, a hallucination. It was dark and they just pounced.’

‘Who did? The Bogey Men? Was there more than one?’

‘Yes. Three. They were speaking in a foreign language.’

Oh, Jesus, stop it now.

‘Enough, Samantha. Enough. That’s enough. I think you should go home now.’

She’s right of course. Sometimes I can’t stop the lies tumbling out. This is enough. I get up from the table, and thank Mrs O’D politely for her hospitality. If there’s one thing Mother taught me, it’s good manners: don’t chew with your mouth full, don’t lean your elbows on the table when eating, and always say please and thank you. Such a well-bred young girl.

‘Well I’d better be off so. Mother will be out of her mind. Probably had to down a bottle of Pinot for breakfast to stave off the worry.’ I’m wearing Luce’s tracksuit bottoms that are falling down around my hips so I hold them up with one hand. I’m amazed that I’m not more sore. Luce follows me to the door.

‘Bye, Girl-Friday,’ I say, blowing her a kiss. Mrs O’D is clearing the dishes loudly, clattering them on the worktop.

‘You can’t let her go like this, Mum.’

‘No, no of course not.’ She takes a big breath, trying to gather her innermost reserves of politeness. ‘Wait there, Samantha, and I’ll drive you home.’

‘You’re ok, Mrs O’D. I’ll walk. Thanks though. I fancy a bit of fresh air.’

‘I’ll walk with you,’ Luce says.

‘You will go nowhere,’ Mrs O’D says. ‘You’re grounded.’

Ah, the inevitable. Not sure it will work though. I reckon Luce will find a way to come to the rescue. ‘Don’t worry, Luce. I’ll go on home.’

She turns on her mum then in a fury. ‘Are you really going to let her walk back to that alchie bitch, like that, in the cold?’

‘Don’t dare use that language around me.’

‘But you have no idea. Her mother is deranged.’

‘If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from that girl …’

Jesus. Beyond the Pale there, Mrs O’D.