Quietly closing the door on Matthew, Elspeth went about the task of sorting out the two problems troubling her over-stressed husband. Several telephone calls later, an arrangement was made to meet a surveyor in Moray Place at noon that day. That achieved, she then telephoned the gallery and suggested that she meet Pat and Kirsty at Big Lou’s at 10.30 a.m. Kirsty, who took the call, was doubtful at first, but agreed to the suggestion when Elspeth made it clear that Matthew had authorised the meeting and would expect her to be there. This was not strictly speaking true; Matthew did not even know of the meeting, but Elspeth interpreted his earlier assent to her sorting things out as clearly covering a meeting at Big Lou’s.

Elspeth was there first, and Big Lou was already bringing her coffee to the table when Pat and Kirsty arrived. Elspeth noticed Big Lou’s glance at Kirsty’s tight jeans and knew immediately that she had an ally. Good, she thought; Big Lou understands.

‘Well,’ Elspeth began, as the two young women sat down in front of her. ‘Let’s waste no more time. As you are aware, the economy of this country is in a parlous state.’ She paused, watching the effect of her words. There was a frown from Kirsty; Pat, although attentive, gave nothing away. ‘So unfortunately one of you has to go. And it’s you, Kirsty. Sorry about that, but there we are. You’ll be paid up to the end of next week, but you can have your remaining time off. Sorry about this.’

For a moment Kirsty said nothing. Then, without any warning, she leaned across the table, and pulled Elspeth’s hair. Elspeth, taken aback, screamed, and Pat, after a few seconds of shock, turned in her seat and seized Kirsty’s long blonde hair, giving it a sufficiently sharp tug to elicit a howl of protest from the other girl.

Big Lou, witnessing this from behind her counter, lost no time in making her way round the side and rushing over to join the affray. She seized Kirsty’s hair on the other side – that is, on the opposite side of the head to that engaged by Pat – and tugged hard. There were further howls and a low hissing sound that came from one of them, although it was not immediately apparent from whom.

Big Lou was, of course, the most powerful of the three, and she soon succeeded in lifting Kirsty from her seat, by her hair. She then changed her grip, seizing her by the right arm and half pushing, half dragging her to the door. In the course of this short journey, the tight jeans split, a jagged San Andreas fault opening across the over-taut denim.

‘Oot,’ said Big Lou, bundling her out. ‘Nae ripped jeans in here.’