She desperately wanted to look behind her, to check her avenue of escape, but knew that would instantly be seen as a sign of weakness. The gap between her and the two men closed by the second and she could see their gait change almost imperceptibly. Now they were moving more cautiously on the balls of their feet, a pair of predators sizing up the prey. She had to assume they were part of the game. Which meant they’d stop short of doing her serious damage. To think otherwise was too disturbing. Carol was far too accustomed to being a woman in control of her environment to contemplate how easily she’d turned herself into a potential victim.

Suddenly they were upon her, jostling her from either side, backing her into the wall. ‘What have we got here, then?’ the taller of the two said, his voice a guttural North London taunt.

‘Yeah, what’s your name, darlin’?’ the other leered.

Carol chanced a look at the far end of the alley. It was clear. There were only the two of them.

Her moment’s inattention had given them their chance. The taller one grabbed at her bag. ‘Give it up,’ he demanded. ‘Save yourself a beating.’

Carol clung on grimly, leaning against the wall and adjusting her weight. Her left leg shot out in a savage kick, catching him on the inside of the kneecap. He howled in pain and rage, stumbling back and away from her, releasing the bag strap to grab his knee as he crumpled to the ground.

‘Fucking cunt,’ the other one said in a low voice that was far more frightening than a shout. He sprang towards her, right arm pulling back for a punch. Carol saw it all with slow-motion clarity. As he brought his fist towards her, she let herself drop and his momentum carried him forward into the wall.

It gave her a couple of precious seconds to grab the gas canister from her bag. As her first assailant scrambled to his feet, she let him have the CS gas straight in the face. Now he was really howling, screaming like an animal in a trap.

His mate swung round, ready for a second attack. When he saw her grinning like a madwoman, the spray can at arm’s length, pointing straight at him, he raised both hands, palms facing her, in the universal gesture of surrender. ‘Fucking take it easy, bitch,’ he shouted.

‘Get out of my fucking way,’ Carol snarled.