Benjamin sucked his teeth. ‘My mother never cooked, Sade. All she ever did was go out with blokes. Said cooking was for mugs, which didn’t do a lot for me, I can tell you. I spent the first five years of my life living on tinned stews. Hate the fucking things now, I do. Go on, Sade let me have a lump. I like your cooking.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, all right then. I wish that Harrison hadn’t broken the video. I’d like to have taped this film.’

The Winslow Boy had come on and Sadie was sitting with about six other men looking up at the TV, which was ten feet up the wall on a small shelf.

Benjamin called out to Georgio: ‘Did you hear the one about the little boy who went into school and said, “Sorry I’m late, Miss, me dad got burned this morning.” And the teacher said, “How terrible, was he burned bad?” And the kid said, “They don’t fuck about down the Crematorium, Miss.”

The whole place erupted into laughter again.

‘You’re mad, Dawes.’ Ricky’s voice was full of mirth.

Benjamin shrugged, grinning childishly. ‘If you didn’t laugh you’d go mad, wouldn’t you? How about this one then . . .’ And he launched into another joke and once more everyone was laughing.

Sadie’s voice was loud and bossy at the end of it.

‘If you don’t stop that noise, Benjamin Dawes, you won’t get no pie. I want to watch this film!’

He hunched his shoulders and rolled his eyes, in a mock fearful expression. Everyone chuckled again.

‘I mean it, Dawes.’

The smell of the baking pie was now very sweet in the rec room and Sadie was aware that before the pie was cooked she would be offered cigarettes, tea and coffee by men hoping for a slice.

Chopper and Ricky still eyeballed one another, and the men still observed them. The conversation died down to a muted hum, and Georgio began his game of chess with Leroy.

‘There’s going to be trouble between them two and Lewis is not going to like it.’ Georgio’s voice was low.

Leroy shrugged and took Georgio’s black pawn.

‘Let ’em get on with it. If Ricky needs an hand I’m here, like all the black contingent. Don’t lose any sleep over it, Georgio. Lewis may not come back. We don’t know what’s going on yet.’

Georgio fretted. ‘And what if he does come back?’

‘Then we play it by ear. Now, will you concentrate on the game, please? I take my chess seriously. And don’t leave your queen wide open like you did when you was playing Lewis. I don’t mind losing.’