He laughed gently. ‘A bit of both actually, Hats. I want you to take on a couple of learners. One’s nineteen, got a little baby so she’ll bring it with her. The other’s in her forties, out to make a few bob while the old man’s out at work. She knits, I understand. So she’ll be knitting her head off while spouting filth over the trombone. It never ceased to amaze me what the girls get up to while they’re working. What I want is for you to learn them the “Starting ups” and “finishing offs”. Both girls have an aptitude for this kind of work. They just need to learn the tricks of the trade.’

Hattie made the tea and nodded. ‘Okey doke, Steve. I’ve got some oranges in, I’ll show them the lot. Oral sex, anal sex, whatever. I hope they’re not easily shocked though. They do realise this is one of the more exotic call lines, don’t they?’

He nodded. Taking out his wallet, he extracted three fifty-pound notes.

‘This is for your trouble, Hats.’

Hattie took the money and slid it into her slipper, a habit she had acquired on the streets. Even if a punter ripped off your gear, providing you kept your shoes on you didn’t lose your dosh along with everything else.

‘I ain’t teaching them the baby talk though, you can get someone else to do that. You know how I feel about that, don’t you?’ Her big moon face was troubled.

Stephen pulled her into his arms and cuddled her, breathing in the scent of 4711 and sweat. ‘Don’t worry, Hats, you know I’d never ask you to do something you didn’t want to.’

Hattie cuddled him back, her strong arms gripping his waist like a vice. ‘Fair enough, Steve. They’ll be experts in twenty-four hours.’

‘That, Hats, is what I’m counting on. Now then, let’s have our tea. How’s your boys?’

Hattie turned back to the little table and sugared the two mugs of tea. ‘My Brian’s on the Island. Says your brother’s there, Georgio. Someone striped his arse by all accounts - that slag Lewis. Never liked him, even when he was a boy. Weird, he was. I remember when we was all kids, about thirteen, he killed all his mum’s kittens, drowned them, he did, in a puddle of all things. His mother nearly murdered him. Pity she didn’t, she’d have saved herself a lot of grief.’

Stephen nodded absentmindedly. Georgio had mentioned nothing to him of a striping. He took the tea from Hattie and said, ‘You sure it was my brother?’

Hattie nodded vigorously. ‘Oh yeah, it was him all right. My Brian was shipped to the Island from the Scrubs with him. It might have happened in the Scrubs, now I come to think of it.’