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give you some money to replace it. But it was an accident. Really.”
    Kevin let him go and the stranger slowly and very deliberately took out his wallet. Jimmy grabbed it off him.
    â€œGood shirt, that, Kev,” he said, sniggering. “How much did you say it was?”
    â€œEighty-five quid,” said Kevin. All three laughed.
    â€œWell, there’s plenty in here,” said the man looking in the wallet. “Let’s say a hundred shall we, to cover bus fare there and back to Saville Row. What do you reckon, Karl?” He turned to the third man.
    â€œUh-uh-uh,” his brother made a grunting sound which just about passed for a laugh. Karl was the same height as Jimmy, but much bigger all round. His bulk was mainly excess weight and he had none of the other’s muscle definition. In every other way, he was exactly like him. He had the same shaved head and tattoos, and had copied his elder sibling’s outfit right down to the colour of his boots. His face was round and full, with none of the hardness of the other two.
    â€œYou okay with that, mate?” said Jimmy. “Reckon you’ve got off lightly so far.”
    â€œNow come on,” the landlord stepped in again. “Give the man back his wallet and let him buy you all a drink. Those few drops aren’t going to spoil a shirt – certainly not such an expensive one,” he added.
    â€œWho are you, Max, his fucking nanny?” said Jimmy. “Let him speak for himself. Well, fuck-wit, what do you think? A hundred quid’s fair?”
    â€œYes, of course,” he said, “if the shirt was really that much.”
    â€œYou calling me a liar?” shouted Kevin, renewing his grip on the man. “First you throw a fucking drink over me and then call me a liar. You got a fucking death wish?”
    â€œNo, no. A hundred’s fine. Then I’ll buy you that drink.”
    This time the stranger pushed Kevin away firmly himself, and then reached over and took back his wallet from Jimmy. He took out five twenties and handed them to him.
    â€œNow three pints, wasn’t it?”
    â€œTell you what,” said Jimmy, “Just to make it right – I mean, we were all having such a good time until you came in throwing your weight about – I think you ought to get drinks all round. Then you might even get out of here alive.”
    â€œRight, that’s enough, Jimmy,” said Max. “It was just a little accident and this has gone too far… ”
    â€œLet’s ask the lads, then,” said Jimmy. He turned to the room in general. “Who wants to have a drink with me and my brothers, on our Irish friend here?”
    No-one spoke.
    Jimmy’s eyes swept the room, finally fixing on a table covered in empty bottles close to where he was standing. The three men at the table were all in their mid-thirties, with bulky frames and hard-looking faces. Collectively, they looked as though they would be more than a match for the three brothers, but they became agitated and nervous as Jimmy picked them out.
    â€œYou three – would you like a drink with me and my brothers?” he shouted.
    â€œYeah, that would be great,” said one of the men, quietly and without enthusiasm, and the other two nodded.
    â€œGood!”
    Jimmy looked up and round the room again; everyone either muttered a ‘yes’ or nodded or raised a reluctant hand.
    â€œLook,” said Max to the stranger, “you don’t have to do this, friend. And if you want your hundred quid back… ”
    â€œNo, that’s okay, thanks anyway,” he said. “But I’ve got to be getting along. So, if I just give another hundred to Jimmy, here, then that should easily cover a round for everybody, I guess.”
    He took five more twenties from his wallet and handed them over. Jimmy took the cash as the three brothers sat down again. He held each of the notes up to the light in mock