“Even so, there can’t be so many arguments to use.”

“Oh, there’s a lot to be said for carrying on, the way we used to do. Esther knows already how much good we did for the blind.”

“You’re a wonderful woman, Belle. I’ve always thought so.”

“And there’s another thing,” said Mrs Bannister to Esther. “There’s the police.”

“The police?” Esther looked at her in alarm: the word to her conveyed only guilt and crime, a man with a gun stalking a murderer down the length of the village street. “What’s it to do with them?”

“You see, we haven’t yet told them about you and Charles. That was an illegal thing he did. We could get into trouble for not telling them about it.”

“But it wasn’t my fault,” said Esther. Already she had used the words many times. “You know that well.”

“I’m afraid it makes no difference. In fact, it makes it worse. It makes two crimes instead of one.”

“Two crimes?”

“What Charles did to you was a crime. And not to tell about it was a crime, if we confess it now, there’ll be no end to the trouble.”

“But what can we do, then?”

“What I said last night. Say nothing. Behave as if nothing had happened.”

“But I don’t understand. How can we do that?”

“I’ve explained the idea to her,” said Mrs Bannister to Jack Lett, in the warm darkness of the bedroom.

“What did she say?”

“She said she was afraid.”

“Her and me both … Christ, if we ever get found out!”

“We won’t be found out.”

“You’ll have to train her, Belle. Train her like for the Olympic Games.”

“As soon as she agrees, I’ll start.”

“She hasn’t said yes, then?”

“No. That’s tomorrow.”

Power, greed, and vanity were at the core of Mrs Bannister’s hard determination; against them, Esther Costello – young, frightened, ashamed – had nothing to set save her isolated will; and this had been softened and eroded far in advance, by the years of dependence, the years of love.

“You must trust me, Esther. I tell you, this is the only way.”

“But it’s so terrible. And so difficult. I don’t think I could ever manage it.”

“After all I’ve done for you,” said Mrs Bannister.

“Ah, I know that! But I’m not clever enough for it.”

“You just don’t want to do it.”

“I do, I do! But I can’t!”

“After all I’ve done for you,” repeated Mrs Bannister. “Rescued you, brought you up, spent all those years looking after you, teaching you, acting as your eyes and ears, giving up everything for you. And now this … It’s no good crying, Esther,” she said grimly. “The time for tears is long past. You should have thought of all the consequences, before you and Charles–”

“But he forced me,” said Esther, with desperate unhappiness.

“Whichever way it happened, it happened. Now you can see and hear – and as a consequence we’re all ruined. It’s a fine return for all I’ve done.”