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vestiges of her childhood, of her innocence, being stripped away.
    ‘Oh, Tina, we’ve been friends for all this time and I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me before?’
    ‘Because the sick thing is, I grew up thinking it’s normal, something that all dads do to their daughters. By the time I realised it wasn’t, I was too scared of me dad to open me mouth. Oh Gawd, Jen, I shouldn’t have told you. Don’t tell anyone! Promise me you won’t tell anyone!’
    Jenny’s heart went out to Tina and she reached out to clutch her friend’s hand. ‘I promise, but surely there’s something you and Mandy can do to stop him? Why don’t you tell the police?’
    ‘He’d deny it and he’s clever. He’s made sure there’s no proof.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘He hasn’t, you know…gone all the way. He…he makes us use our mouths.’
    ‘But what about your mum? Haven’t you told her?’
    ‘Jenny,’ Tina said, her voice strangled with pain. ‘She already knows.’
    Bile rose in Jenny’s throat. How could she? How could Tina’s mother allow it to happen?
    ‘If Mandy’s moving out, why don’t you go with her?’
    ‘I asked, begged, but she won’t take me. She wants to start a new life, to forget, and said I’d just be a constant reminder.’
    ‘I can’t believe she’s leaving you behind,’ Jenny said angrily, her mind turning. ‘But listen, you could still leave home.’
    ‘My dad won’t let me. Even if I wait until he’s away my mum would stop me. I’d have to do a runner.’
    ‘You’ll be sixteen soon and then they can’t stop you. Anyway, just let them try,’ Jenny said, ready to fight for her friend. It was as though her fear for Tina had brought about a change in her personality. Instead of her customary meekness she now felt strength, along with determination. Somehow she’d help her friend to get away.
    ‘I wish I could leave, Jenny, but where would I live? At sixteen I’d only earn peanuts and I don’t know how much it costs to rent a bedsit. I supposeI could try getting into an empty place, you know, a squat, but I…I’d be scared to do something like that on me own.’
    Jenny knew what she had to do. She hadn’t suffered like Tina, but she was unhappy at home and wanted to get away too.
    ‘You won’t be alone, Tina. I’m coming with you. With two wage packets we’re bound to be able to afford a bedsit.’
    ‘Oh, Jenny, do you really mean it?’
    ‘Of course I do,’ Jenny insisted. Yes, they’d get away; start a new life, one that they’d be in charge of. From then on, nobody, neither man nor woman, was going to mess with them again – not with their minds, or their bodies.

Chapter Seven
    That afternoon, Delia dressed carefully in a navy blue designer suit, and then put on her diamond stud earrings. She had never shown any interest in Jennifer’s education before and had no idea what the girl was capable of, but now, to placate her son, she knew that getting rid of Jennifer would have to be delayed. It was something she hadn’t anticipated, and for that reason Delia dressed to impress. Appearances mattered, and she wanted to show this careers adviser that the girl came from a good home, a superior family, and was therefore not suited to some sort of menial work. If she could persuade the man to place Jennifer in an office, if only on the first rung of some sort of career, it would at least be something she wouldn’t be ashamed to tell her acquaintances at the WI and tennis club.
    Delia picked up her leather handbag, knowing that within Robin’s hearing she would have to continue to be nice to Jennifer. She would have to wait, keepup the act, but when the time was right she’d strike. Of course it would have to appear that she’d played no part in it, that Jennifer left of her own accord; but this time, no matter what, she wouldn’t be thwarted.
    It was a lovely day and rather than get her car out of the garage Delia decided to walk. As she left the drive a