‘If you’d looked a little closer. Miss,’ said Mrs Rigby with cold politeness, ‘you’d have seen that something was done. She had lotion on the stripes last night and again this morning; She’s my own flesh and blood; I don’t like hurting her. But running round and answering back I just will not have.’

‘Ed Woodly only walked down the lane with me, if you call that running round,’ Ethel said insolently.

‘That,’ said Canon Thorby, ‘is no way to speak to your grandmother. One of these days, when you are older and have more sense, you’ll realize how much you owe her. You should be ashamed to cause her such anxiety.’

‘She is, sir. She is,’ the old woman said defensively. ‘Thass why she spoke so sharp.’ She turned to Miss Mayfield. ‘There’s only so much that schools are responsible for, you know, Miss, and others we have to take care of ourselves as best we can.’

‘You’re right, up to a point, Mrs Rigby,’ Canon Thorby put in. ‘I’m sure Miss Mayfield would be the first to . . .’

To what? Confess herself mistaken? Apologize? I will not. I’m still not convinced. I don’t know why, but I’m not; made to look a fool again, but not convinced.

‘I think any teacher – or anyone else, for that matter – who saw such marks on a child is morally bound to do something.’

‘Well, what are you going to do?’ Mrs Rigby spoke quietly, but insolently for all that.

‘I asked Canon Thorby’s advice. And I feel bound to mention that he has no knowledge of the extent of the lacerations.’

‘That’s easily remedied. Ethel, off with that jumper.’

‘Look,’ Ethel said, ‘I sauced you and you give me a hiding. I ain’t going to be made a peep-show of.’ She put the knitting on the table and doubled one hand into a fist and, bending her arm behind her, gave herself a clout between the shoulder blades. ‘Don’t hurt,’ she said.

But that was a lie; Miss Mayfield had seen the skin go white and tight around her mouth and the root of her nose.

‘There been about enough fuss over this,’ Ethel said, and opened the door of the back room, went through and slammed it smartly behind her.

‘You see,’ Mrs Rigby said.

‘Yes. You have your hands full. One thing rather stands out, though, doesn’t it, Mrs Rigby? Beating her doesn’t seem very effective.’