‘What’s this?’ he asked.

He’d spotted the flowers. Angel had stuffed them into one of Dora’s glass vases and left them on the sink. Donny walked through to the little kitchenette and peered at them. He turned to her, frowning.

‘Someone giving you flowers?’

Angel just stared at him, seeing his thought processes. Already in his mind she was his. So what was all this shit, he was thinking. Flowers. Flowers from who?

‘Bloke wanted to give me a job. Bar work.’

‘What, and he gave you flowers?’ Donny came into the lounge and stood in front of her. ‘There’s only one thing he’s after, Angel, and that’s not to give you work. You want to steer clear.’

‘Why? He seemed nice.’ She was deliberately trying to goad him now. Couldn’t seem to help herself. She wondered if Mum had ever dared do that, and she guessed that Dora, being mouthy, had. Once or twice, years back. Before he’d done such a thorough job of kicking all the stuffing out of her.

‘Did he come here?’ asked Donny. He was still frowning, standing there like the authority figure, hands on hips. The patriarch. The ruler.

‘Yeah, he did.’

‘Well, I don’t want you seeing him again,’ said Donny.

Angel stared up at him, blank-faced. ‘OK,’ she said finally.

Donny stared at her. ‘What does that mean?’ he asked.

Angel stood up. She was sick of this. ‘It means OK. I won’t be seeing him again because I’ve already told him to do one. All right?’

Now Donny’s expression softened. He seemed appeased. He reached out, pulled her into his arms. Angel stiffened in disgust as he held her against him.

‘I got you a present today.’ He indicated with a nod of the head the long parcel set beside the door.

It would be another bolt of material, Angel thought. It was the right size and shape. Another thing he pretended was for her benefit when it was actually for his own. She would make a new dress, look pretty for him; give him pleasure.

‘Honey, I know you’ve had a tough time,’ he said gently, breathing light kisses into her neck. ‘With your mum and everything. But we don’t need no one else, do we, you and me? We’ll look out for each other, yeah?’

‘Yeah,’ said Angel, standing there shuddering with hatred and trying not to cringe away from him. He’d only get angry, and then who knew what he’d do? He’d hit Dora before, Angel had seen that happen. And worse.

Still, it took an effort of will to stand there and endure him slobbering over her. And then he led her into the bedroom, and it got worse all over again.

100

Next day, Donny took her out in the car. They had lunch at a cheap out-of-the-way place. Angel had to force herself to eat. Every time she put a forkful of food in her mouth, she remembered last night and nearly heaved it all back up again.