– I don’t think murderous hearts should get absolution that easy, lady, do you?

Flora takes a long drag – leaves a rim of red lipstick around the cigarette, tries not to smile back at him.

– What happened to Sir James Douglas?

– He died fighting in Spain along the way. They boiled the flesh from his body. Took his bones back to Scotland alongside his mate’s heart – in its iron-clad box.

– Fucking hell.

– Such is the way of love.

He opens the cellar hatch. Someone rolls barrels in from the street.

There is a sound of chickens, or maybe a goat.

Flora triple-drags her cigarette.

Such is the way. It’s like a disease. Love: 80 per cent proof. Risk of death if you drink it. Can send you mad, bad, blind and delirious. It is nothing like the no-risk companionship of loving a close friend. To decay without passion together for eternity – the traditional way. Flora would rather die than do that. She’d rather die alone, upright as a double bass, tuned to her own vibration. Companionship is for pets. Flora is not a pet. She’s a wild creature. All for the kind of love that can kill you. Now that is living! Baśka Murmańska knew what that was. Flora meets her own eyes in the bar mirror. It’s an uncomfortable feeling. She doesn’t know why but she always looks away again quickly. Forces her gaze back. Why should she not like to look at her own reflection? Her eyes are grey and wide with long lashes. Her hair is blonde and shiny and neatly bobbed with a perfect curl on her cheek. Smoky eyes. Reddest lip shade she could find in Jenners. She is prettier than a woman should be. So what – her jaw is a little too long, her nose indelicate. These new knee-length skirts and dresses are more than favourable to her legs. A man walks into the bar and slides a pamphlet across to her.

TO WORKING MEN & WOMEN

“The Anti-Saloon League: of the United States” – which has now changed its name to “The World League Actions Against Alcoholism”: has sent a number of skilled organisers and speakers to our country to help the misnamed “Temperance” Associations to:

ROB YOU OF YOUR BEER

The League is supported by millionaires, and has enormous funds. Its hirelings are paid a minimum of £60 a month and expenses. Will you allow these Aliens to:

DICTATE TO YOU, INTERFERE WITH YOUR LIBERTIES, CLOSE YOUR PUBLIC HOUSES, HUSTLE YOU INTO COMPULSORY TEETOTALISM?

What right have they to meddle with our affairs. What would “Yankees” say if we sent over a swarm of paid men to lecture on their habits, and interfere in their domestic concerns?

SHOW THESE FUSSY ZEALOTS THAT YOU RESENT THEIR IMPERTINENT INTRUSION. WRITE TO YOUR M.P. AND TELL HIM THEY OUGHT TO BE DEPORTED.

BEWARE OF LOCAL “OPTION.”

– Nobody is forcing me into teetotalism, Flora wags her finger.