I put my hand into the bag and my fingers curl round a familiar object and I pull out Kenneth’s dirk, complete with the leather sheath and belt. I can’t say anything at all: my head is swimming.

Andi says, ‘He added “good luck with Cuthbert”. Well, like I say, he often didn’t make much sense, poor old soul. But you know – it’s a nice thing to have, eh?’

She smiles at me and I manage to whisper, ‘Thank you.’ I catch Mola’s eye. She is smiling and she gives me a knowing little wink as if that explains it all.

I wish.

One Week Later

Chapter 88

‘Come on, man – we’ll be late!’

‘Do I look all right?’

‘Seb, man, you can wear what you like so long as it’s clean, Susan said. It won’t make any difference to your ugly mug, anyway.’

At one point, not very long ago, Seb would have complained at that. He’d have whinged. He’d have threatened to tell Mam that I was being mean. I’d have sneered back at him, and then we’d be fighting and Mam would have to separate us, and …

Oh, you get what I mean. Instead, he says, ‘No – your ugly mug.’

I know: hardly top-class banter, but he’s only seven. Anyway, we’re on our way out of the front door when Fit Billy and Mam emerge from the kitchen where they’ve been chatting all morning. Honestly, the amount of tea he drinks at our place, I sometimes wonder if he simply doesn’t have a kettle of his own. They’re supposed to paint the new fence today, like it’s a two-person job. They’re grinning like mad.

‘Boys!’ says Mam, with a funny catch in her voice. ‘Where are you going?’

I stop in the doorway. ‘Sorry, Mam. Susan’s invited us over for Tibetan butter tea and cake. She says she’s got a special surprise and not to be late.’

Mam’s eyebrows go up. ‘Really? For both of you? Only me and Billy have got a surprise as well, haven’t we, Bill? Something to tell you.’

Billy nods and puts his big arm round Mam, which is a bit unusual, but maybe she’s cold because the front door’s still open.

‘Don’t worry,’ says Billy. ‘It’ll wait, won’t it, Mary?’ He winks at her as we run down the path.

In Susan’s garden, the strong breeze is making the prayer flags flap so noisily that the people there are raising their voices a bit to be heard.

Susan meets me and Seb at the back gate and leads us down the path. She says, ‘Look at you two – smart and shiny!’