‘You and her… Bridget Mulligan.’ Seeing the shocked look on his face, she dared to come nearer. ‘He asked if you took her against her will.’ Softly laughing, she went on mercilessly, ‘Did you, Harry? Did you take Tom Mulligan’s wife against her will?’

‘Shut your mouth, Alice!’ Leaping from his chair, Harry went to grab her, but when she laughingly dodged him, he turned awkwardly and fell back, crashing into the chair.

‘Sounds to me like you had your wicked way with her,’ she taunted him, ‘and now the whole town will know. Did you never stop to think about Mother and Father, and how it would affect their good name?’ Suddenly, as another, more unbearable thought struck home, she gasped, ‘And what about me? I’ll never be able to hold my head up in this town again! Then there’s Fay. I shouldn’t be at all surprised if she doesn’t lose her job at the orphanage. I mean, they won’t allow her to carry on working there, will they? Not with a placard over the front door saying, “Outcast the sinners”. It’s us they’ll outcast, Harry. The entire family, and all because you couldn’t keep your hands off another man’s wife. Why didn’t you think what you were doing to us?’

When Harry did not answer, she changed tack. ‘Did she lead you on, Harry? Was that it? I might see you in a different light if that were the case. Was it, Harry? Was it her fault and not yours?’

‘Forget that kind of talk, Alice,’ he warned gruffly. ‘Bridget Mulligan is a good woman.’ Realising his sister could ruin Bridget’s name if she set her mind to it, he added, ‘She wouldn’t know how to lead a man on.’

Insensitive as ever, Alice made the mistake of going too far. ‘I’m right, I know I am. A slut like Bridget Mulligan should be marched through the streets for all decent folk to spit on.’ Her face was too near, her eyes too wild. ‘And you with her, because as far as I can tell, you’re no better than she is. What’s more—’

Her words ended in a cry as Harry lunged at her. He grabbed her by the collar, twisting it tight as she tried to resist. ‘You seem to have trouble understanding what I’m saying,’ he hissed. ‘So I’ll say it again. Bridget Mulligan did not lead me on, nor has she laid claim to me in any way. If she did, things might be very different. As it is, you had better be very careful what you say and to whom, because if you aren’t, Alice, the repercussions will indeed be serious.’

Throwing her aside, he went back to the sink to bathe the wound on his temple, which was once again oozing blood.

‘Look what you’ve done!’ Alice shrieked. ‘You’ve dripped blood all over my sleeve. Damn you, Harry! You’ve ruined my best blouse!’

Harry ignored her.

Suddenly she was at his side, tugging at his arm. ‘And what did you mean about me having to be careful or the repercussions could be serious? It seems to me that it’s you and Bridget Mulligan who should have been careful and the repercussions are all your fault.’