Nina didn’t like to be reminded of her father’s lofty attitude towards Tess. Nor did she like to dwell on his mistaken belief that she was sharing a flat with three friends from college. ‘I hear you,’ she said. ‘I know I’m a coward, but I wanted to get away without any trouble.’

‘Relax, I’m only playing with you. It can’t be much fun for you either. Are you not running out of stories about the three Marys or whatever they’re called?’

‘Orla, Cathy and Gráinne,’ said Nina, with a laugh. ‘And, no, I’m fine at the moment.’

‘Lovely girls, no doubt.’

‘Oh, the loveliest.’

The two rarely discussed how Nina’s father had treated Tess. They followed the long tradition of saying everything apart from what ought to be said. Sometimes, however, it hung between them, heavy as lead. Nina was well aware that she ought to take a stand. It was time she told her parents that she was old enough to choose her own friends. This was what she’d tell anyone else to do, and she wasn’t proud of her hypocrisy.

‘Does my dad’s behaviour still get to you?’ she asked.

‘Yeah, it does,’ said Tess, who then stopped, like she was thinking through what had happened. ‘I’ll never forget calling to your door and being told to vamoose. I remember standing there, the snow tipping down around me, thinking, What do I do now? I didn’t want to tell Mam because I figured she’d storm up to your father and chew the ear off him … or else she’d get upset. I’d had to talk to her about being in the shed, so she was already mad with me. Not for the smoking – that didn’t surprise her – but for messing up the investigation. She’s always had a soft spot for Conor’s dad.’ Tess blew a twist of smoke towards the ceiling. ‘Of course I had to tell her eventually because she kept asking why we didn’t see you any more.’

‘What did she say?’

‘Not a lot. She went to her room. After an hour or so, she came back down with an inch of make-up on her. At first, I thought she was going out on the town. Then I realised she’d been crying. I didn’t know what to say so I told her I was sorry, and then she got upset all over again.’

‘You should have told me before now.’