‘You don’t deserve them, Phil. You’re not man enough to take care of them as you should. I’m disappointed in you, Phil, because I thought you could do so much better, but you can’t get over your own inadequacies and treat these gentle women as they deserve to be treated – with respect and love. It’s always been all about you, hasn’t it: your sulks, your temper, your selfishness; how you wanted to punish them if they had a good day or something nice happened? You always wanted to spoil it, didn’t you, to show that your feelings were more important than theirs?’

Philip was sweating and gnashing his teeth as he tried to escape. Tom adjusted his grip and held on tighter.

‘But, you know what, Phil, they don’t have to put up with that any longer. You’ve shown your true colours, so after all these years of putting up with you, it’s only fair to allow Dora and Nell to decide if they want to continue their lives here with you. Shall we ask them, Phil? Eh?’

Philip tried to speak but Tom was now gripping his jaw too tightly for any sound to come out.

‘I don’t hear you, Phil. Was that a “yes”?’

Dora and Ellen were standing at the other side of the kitchen, fixated by the sight of Philip reduced to a helpless victim, a position in which he’d placed them all on numerous occasions. Ellen tried to feel sorry for him but could find no mercy in her heart. She hoped Dora wouldn’t crumble when she faced the inevitable decision.

‘Let him speak, Tom,’ Dora said, tears in her eyes.

‘Mum—’

‘Shush, love. Let’s see this through.’

Tom lowered his hand sufficiently to let Philip speak, though he was still pinned to the wall by Tom’s gigantic arm against his chest.

‘Ask them, Phil. Go on.’

‘Dora, w-will you stay with me?’ Philip’s eyes were pleading. ‘Please … stay.’

Tears were running down Dora’s face unchecked as she looked at the man she had tried so hard to live with. Now she recognised that was impossible if she wanted to keep herself and her daughter safe. She had tried and she had failed, and the failure felt like hers as much as his. Yet if she stayed and gave her moody, ill-tempered, violent husband one more chance, then she feared there would be one more chance after that, and another after that, and so on for the rest of her life.