‘Come into my little room,’ said Gina to her uncle, ‘and then you can tell me. It’s about Mum and Dad, isn’t it?’

‘Who told you?’

‘No one. I knew there was a row brewing yesterday, and then I saw Mum and Nell at the Lodge in the evening as I went by. So I guessed. I am right, aren’t I?’

‘Yes, your mum and Nell are staying at the Lodge. She’s left him.’

‘For good?’

‘I reckon so. I don’t think she’d dare go back.’

Gina nodded, looking grim. ‘I don’t blame her!’ she said. ‘I hate him. I hate the way he hurts her and how he can’t ever be nice and kind to her. I hate it that he drags the life out of everything and makes it all dreary and horrible with his sulks and his silences. I know he’s your brother and that, but I’m sorry he’s my dad.’

‘Did he hit you too when you were there, Gina?’ Tom asked, angry and concerned.

‘Yes, he hurt all of us, though he bashed me the most. He was horrible to us and I reckon now I’m well out of it he’s made up for that with Mum and Nell. He beat us with his belt, sometimes for nowt at all but summat he imagined we’d done, or summat we said that he took the wrong way. He took everything the wrong way, though, so in the end Nell and me almost gave up trying to have a normal pleasant conversation with him and we avoided him when we could, though Mum still tried far harder than he deserved. I promised myself I’d get away and find summat better, and here I am, though I know I haven’t gone far yet. At least, living here at the Hall, I’m safe from him. It’s my greatest wish never to have to set eyes on that bully again, Uncle Tom, and if I could just get rid of him for good, I’d be all the happier.’

‘Oh, Gina …’

‘I’m glad you and Mum are in love – I know you are – and you must keep Mum safe and make sure that Dad never harms her again. Or Nell.’

Tom put his arms around Gina and held her close.

‘Don’t worry, lass, I’ll make sure your mum and Nell are safe. But you must understand that Mum is still married to Philip and it looks bad, her living with me, like she was my mistress or summat,’ he looked uncomfortable, ‘though she isn’t. I don’t want folk who know nowt about it judging her and jumping to the wrong answer.’