Sorina reached for Edith’s hand. She sat up straight and said, ‘The doctor got rid of two babies. The first baby was made at the hunting party last year. The second was a month ago.’

‘Whose baby was that?’ asked Edith.

‘Grandpa’s.’

‘Is that true, Doctor?’ said the mayor.

‘Yes,’ said the doctor. ‘The priest sent her to me.’

‘Did you, Priest?’ asked the mayor.

‘I’m not going to be bullied into an answer. This girl,’ said the priest, pointing at Sorina, ‘is a liar and a whore.’

Una had shown no signs of emotion at the shocking revelations. She had sat quietly drinking her tea but the priest’s words brought her back to herself. She stood up and slapped the priest round the face – once – twice. Misha pulled her away and she let out a howl.

‘I’m so sorry, Mother,’ said Sorina.

Una knelt by her daughter and put her arms round her. ‘I’m the one who should be sorry,’ she said.

‘I’m leaving,’ said the priest. ‘Neither of you are man enough to stand up to these women.’

‘No,’ said Edith as Misha blocked the door. ‘You’re going nowhere, unless you want your sins to be known throughout the village. Do you want to say anything else, Sorina?’

‘Will the house fall down if I tell what happened to me? Will the bloodless one come and kill me?’

‘The house won’t fall down but maybe the bloodless one will come for the priest,’ said Edith.

She watched as the man mopped his forehead with his handkerchief.

Sorina stood. ‘I went to help at the inn when the hunting party came up from town last summer.’

‘What has that to do with anything?’ said the priest. ‘We’re here because the butcher has been murdered.’

‘You’ll be quiet,’ said the mayor, ‘and you’ll listen.’

Sorina bit her lip. Her legs were shaking.

‘You can sit,’ said Edith.

‘No,’ said Sorina and started again. ‘When the hunting party came last year, the innkeeper needed extra help. I cleaned the rooms and changed the bed linen. Later, as I was leaving, my grandfather came up the stairs with a young man. I remember he wore round glasses – he took them off when he… when he…’ She took a breath. ‘He was drunk and he muttered something to Grandpa. Grandpa said to me, “Why don’t you be sweet to this man,” and he went away. Do I have to say more?’

‘No,’ said Edith. ‘Unless you want to.’