‘Your mother isn’t the ignoramus you seem to think!’ Shirley flashed. ‘I could have told you that day that there’d already been an attack on a Vienna synagogue, and two Jews killed. The paper I read said it was done by Arab terrorists—’

‘Why didn’t you tell us, Granny?’ Bessie asked.

‘Because I’m not one for political discussions, sweetheart, I never was. It’s bad enough that these things are happening. We don’t have to talk about them, and especially not in front of you.’

‘For heaven’s sake, Mum!’ Laura expostulated. ‘One of Bessie’s little friends lives in Edgware, where some Jewish kids had bottles thrown at them a few months ago. She also goes to school with a child whose big brother is at Preston Polytechnic, and he didn’t keep it a secret from his kid sister when swastikas were daubed on a college Jewish Society poster. I can’t raise Bessie in a vacuum,’ Laura went on. ‘She has to live in the real world.’

‘And I have to say,’ Marianne added, ‘that I myself was sickened when I drove past Chalk Farm tube station one day last autumn, and saw painted on a wall: “Hitler is right.”’

Bessie was listening with interest. ‘But Hitler is dead now, isn’t he?’

‘Unfortunately,’ said her mother, ‘his ideas seem to have lived on.’

‘There you go again, upsetting the child!’ said Shirley.

‘Didn’t you hear what I said to you, Mum? She has to live in the real world.’

‘But there’s no need to spell everything out for her.’

‘If Jake were here, I’d let him deal with you, Mum!’

‘My daughter is no longer her own person,’ Shirley said to the air.

‘My marriage is a partnership,’ Laura informed her. ‘Jake has raised two smashing kids and I trust his judgement. Would you say you made a good job of raising me? Ask yourself why I finally ran away from home, which Bessie will never feel impelled to do.’

‘Is there nothing you intend keeping from that child!’ Shirley marched from the room.

‘Before you run after her, Bessie,’ said Laura, ‘move the herb dish a little closer to where Daddy will sit. He has long arms, but I think you’ve put it where even he would have a job to reach it without getting up from his chair!’

They watched the little girl do as she was bid and hastily depart.

‘Bessie is our family comforter,’ Laura said dryly. ‘When anyone is upset, or angry, she rushes to kiss and cuddle them.’

‘If your mother lived with you,’ Marianne responded, ‘Bessie would be kept extremely busy! But I do wish you wouldn’t have a go at your mum in my presence, Laura.’

‘Since when were you easily embarrassed?’

‘But she is.’