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t be able to think of something to protect her before she had to go back in。 Or she could walk in front of a car。 She imagined it slamming into her body and her bones shattering。 How quickly would she die； broken in the road？ She still preferred the thought of drowning； of cool clean water putting her to sleep for ever： a sleep without dreams …
‘Sukhvinder？ Sukhvinder！’
Her stomach turned over。 Tessa Wall was hurrying towards her across the car park。 For one mad moment Sukhvinder considered running； but then the futility of it overwhelmed her； and she stood waiting for Tessa to reach her； hating her； with her stupid plain face and her evil son。
‘Sukhvinder； what are you doing？ Where are you going？’
She could not even think of a lie。 With a hopeless gesture of her shoulders； she surrendered。
Tessa had no appointments until three。 She ought to have taken Sukhvinder to the office and reported her attempted flight； instead； she took Sukhvinder upstairs to the guidance room； with its Nepalese wall…hanging and the posters for ChildLine。 Sukhvinder had never been there before。
Tessa spoke； and left inviting little pauses； then spoke again； and Sukhvinder sat with sweaty palms； her gaze fixed on her shoes。 Tessa knew her mother – Tessa would tell Parminder that she had tried to truant – but if she explained why？ Would Tessa； could Tessa； intercede？ Not with her son； she could not control Fats； that was mon knowledge。 But with Krystal？ Krystal came to guidance …
How bad would the beating be； if she told？ But there would be a beating even if she did not tell。 Krystal had been ready to set her whole gang on her …
‘… anything happened； Sukhvinder？’
She nodded。 Tessa said encouragingly； ‘Can you tell me what it was？’
So Sukhvinder told。
She was sure she could read； in the minute contraction of Tessa’s brow as she listened； something other than sympathy for herself。 Perhaps Tessa was thinking about how Parminder might react to the news that her treatment of Mrs Catherine Weedon was being screamed about in the street。 Sukhvinder had not forgotten to worry about that as she had sat in the bathroom cubicle； wishing for death。 Or perhaps Tessa’s look of unease was reluctance to tackle Krystal Weedon； doubtless Krystal was her favourite too； as she had been Mr Fairbrother’s。
A fierce； stinging sense of injustice burst through Sukhvinder’s misery； her fear and her self…loathing； it swept aside that tangle of worries and terrors that encased her daily； she thought of Krystal and her mates； waiting to charge； she thought of Fats； whispering poisonous words from behind her in every maths lesson； and of the message that she had wiped off her Facebook page the previous evening：
Les…bian…ism n。 Sexual orientation of women to women。 Also called Sapphism。 A native or inhabitant of Lesbos。
‘I don’t know how she knows；’ said Sukhvinder； with the blood thrumming in her ears。
‘Knows …？’ asked Tessa； her expression still troubled。
‘That there’s been a plaint about Mum and her great…gran。 Krystal and her mum don’t talk to the rest of the family。 Maybe；’ said Sukhvinder； ‘Fats told her？’
‘Fats？’ Tessa repeated unprehendingly。
‘You know； because they’re seeing each other；’ said Sukhvinder。 ‘Him and Krystal？ Going out together？ So maybe he told her。’
It gave her some bitter satisfaction to see every vestige of professional calm drain from Tessa’s face。
IX
Kay Bawden never wanted to set foot in Miles and Samantha’s house again。 She could not forgive them for witnessing Gavin’s parade of indifference； nor could she forget Miles’ patronizing laughter； his attitude to Bellchapel； or the sneery way that he and Samantha had spoken about Krystal Weedon。
In spite of Gavin’s apology and his tepid assurances of affection； Kay could not stop picturing him nose to nose with Mary on the sofa； jumping up to help her with the plates； walking her home in the dark。 When Gavin told her； a few days later； that he had had dinner at Mary’s house； she had to fight down an angry response； because he had never eaten more than toast at her house in Hope Street。
She might not be allowed to say anything bad about The Widow； about whom Gavin spoke as though she were the Holy Mother； but the Mollisons were different。
‘I can’t say I like Miles very much。’
‘He’s not exactly my best mate。’
‘If you ask me； it’ll be a catastrophe for the addiction clinic if he gets elected。’
‘I doubt it’ll make any difference。’
Gavin’s apathy； his indifference to other people’s pain； always infuriated Kay。
‘Isn’t there anyone who’ll stick up for Bellchapel？’
‘Colin Wall； I suppose；’ said Gavin。
So； at eight o’clock on Monday evening； Kay walked up the Walls’ drive and rang their doorbell。 From the front step； she could make out Samantha Mollison’s red Ford Fiesta； parked in the drive three houses along。 The sight added a little extra zest to her desire for a fight。
The Walls’ door was opened by a short plain dumpy woman in a tie…dyed skirt。
‘Hello；’ said Kay。 ‘My name’s Kay Bawden； and I was wondering whether I could speak to Colin Wall？’
For a split second； Tessa simply stared at the attractive young woman on the doorstep whom she had never seen before。 The strangest idea flashed across her mind： that Colin was having an affair and that his lover had e to tell her so。
‘Oh – yes – e in。 I’m Tessa。’
Kay wiped her feet conscientiously on the doormat and followed Tessa into a sitting room that was smaller； shabbier but cosier than the Mollisons’。 A tall； balding man with a high forehead was sitting in an armchair with a notebook in his lap and a pen in his hand。
‘Colin； this is Kay Bawden；’ said Tessa。 ‘She’d like to speak to you。’
Tessa saw Colin’s startled and wary expression； and knew at once that the woman was a stranger to him。 Really； she thought； a little ashamed； what were you thinking？
‘I’m sorry to barge in on you like this； unannounced；’ said Kay； as Colin stood up to shake her hand。 ‘I would have telephoned； but you’re—’
‘We’re ex…directory； yes；’ said Colin。 He towered over Kay； his eyes tiny behind the lenses of his glasses。 ‘Please； sit down。’
‘Thank you。 It’s about the election；’ said Kay。 ‘This Parish Council election。 You’re standing； aren’t you； against Miles Mollison？’
‘That’s right；’ said Colin nervously。 He knew who she must be： the reporter who had wanted to talk to Krystal。 They had tracked him down – Tessa ought not to have let her in。
‘I was wondering whether I could help in any way；’ said Kay。 ‘I’m a social worker； mostly working in the Fields。 There are some facts and figures I could give you about the Bellchapel Addiction Clinic； which Mollison seems quite keen on closing。 I’ve been told that you’re for the clinic？ That you’d like to keep it open？’
The onrush of relief and pleasure made him almost giddy。
‘Oh； yes；’ said Colin； ‘yes； I would。 Yes； that was my predecessor’s – that’s to say； the previous holder of the seat – Barry Fairbrother – was certainly opposed to closing the clinic。 And I am； too。’
‘Well； I’ve had a conversation with Miles Mollison； and he made it quite clear that he doesn’t think the clinic’s worth keeping open。 Frankly； I think he’s rather ignorant and naive about the causes and treatment of addiction； and about the very real difference Bellchapel is making。 If the Parish refuses to renew the lease on the building； and the District cuts funding； then there’s a danger that some very vulnerable people will be left without support。’
‘Yes； yes； I see；’ said Colin。 ‘Oh； yes； I agree。’
He was astonished and flattered that this attractive young woman would have walked through the evening to find him and offer herself as an ally。
‘Would you like a cup of tea or coffee； Kay？’ asked Tessa。
‘Oh； thanks very much；’ said Kay。 ‘Tea； please； Tessa。 No sugar。’
Fats was in the kitchen； helping himself from the fridge。 He ate copiously and continually； but remained scrawny； never putting on an ounce of weight。 In spite of his openly declared disgust for them； he seemed unaffected by Tessa’s pack of ready