Watching as the girl's body was brought out, or what was left of it, Iles said: 'Know that poem, Col — "A refusal to mourn the death by fire of a child"?'

'Poetry's always been one of your things, sir,' Harpur replied.

'I don't refuse to mourn.'

'Well, you wouldn't.'

'Dylan Thomas. Talks about the "majesty" of her death.'

'Many a poet gets away with shit, sir,' Harpur said. 'They like words with y on the end. Give a nice tinkle. That's what interests them. But you — you can be surprisingly tender and sympathetic. I've heard one or two people mention that. Two.'