‘The clubs are the clubs as in Tarot,’ she says, cutting the deck in three and shuffling. ‘You know, the sticks, the wands. The hearts are the cups. Think of your heart like a cup of, er, feelings.’ The girls are drinking in her words. ‘The diamonds, they’re shiny like stars, like coins, like pentangles.’

‘Mind that shop Pentangle,’ says Diane. ‘In Inverness.’

‘Hey,’ says Lauren, feeling a flow of something commanding, snapping Diane back to focus. ‘So that’s three of them, right. Clubs, hearts, diamonds. Then, last, we have spades, right? You cut with a spade; you cut with a sword.’

‘OK,’ says Ann-Marie, trying to understand.

‘Right,’ says Lauren. ‘Think of three questions.’ She has so many questions, bubbling up inside of her, as she tries to focus. Why can’t Ann-Marie or her father remember what she remembers? The young woman’s eyes were so piercing, so unforgettable.

‘But wait. Don’t tarot cards need to be, like, magic ones?’ says Diane.

‘No, this is fine, honestly. Tarot is a card pack. An old card pack, from Egypt. But then those other pictures got added.’

‘Yeah, so what about the death card and that?’ asks Diane.

‘I can’t do those now, but it’s fine anyway. Think of three questions.’ She feels the same power as when she rides Kirsty’s horse, bringing it to focus, moving it forward as she lays out three cards face down in front of her. ‘Ask a question. The answer has to be yes or no. Or maybe.’

Diane gazes at the ceiling. Her lipstick has nearly all been washed off with beer. ‘Um. OK. Am I going to pass my exams?’

‘That’s your question?’ Ann-Marie says.

‘Yeah. What else am I gonna ask?’

Lauren turns the first card over. ‘Ten of spades.’

‘Is that good?’

‘You don’t really need exams to go far.’ She smiles hopefully, and Ann-Marie starts to laugh.

‘What the hell? OK. Does anyone bloody fancy me then? Will I have a rich husband if I fail all my exams? Am I going to marry a rock star?’

‘That’s three questions.’

‘Will I marry a rock star? Man or woman, I just want them to be rich.’

Lauren lifts the next card. ‘Four of diamonds.’

‘Is that good? Diamonds should be good. Like, with four diamonds, I’d be well on my way.’

‘Yeah, it is good. But don’t get too greedy. That’s what it means.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ She laughs and sucks on her roll-up. She’s enjoying this now. There are embers in her eyes.

‘You’ll be rich, but you might not share it.’

‘OK, fine by me. Next one. I’ve got a question. Am I ever going to get out of this shit hole?’

Lauren feels taller, older. She turns the final card. ‘The joker.’

‘You’re fucking kidding me.’

Ann-Marie splutters, balled up in the armchair.