Katerina had felt for her mother's mother, though, despite the fact that 'Grandma' had never accepted her into the family and had always blamed her for being a burden on mother, for stealing attention from Petar and Jelka. Still, it was terrible to see a child die before yourself. "I'm so sorry, grandma," Katerina had said. "I'm, sure you are," the old woman had retorted. "No one for you to suck dry now, is there? Get out! You never were part of this family and you're not going to hang on to it anymore." She turned her back and hobbled off with Petar and Jelka either side. If they'd felt any sympathy or guilt about abandoning Katerina they did little to show it: a backward glance, perhaps, and they were gone. Her mothers house had already been cleared and shut up. They'd wasted no time after mother had been moved to hospital and it was clear she wasn't coming back. "Why pay rent for nothing?" the old woman had said, and the three of them had packed their personal belongings and moved in with her. Katerina smiled a little sardonically to herself. She didn't envy the plight of her foster-sister and her foster-brother. It wasn't going to be much fun living with the old harridan. Still, they were both old enough, older than she was, to set up home for themselves. Katerina didn't think they would have stayed long in the gloomy rather dilapidated, five-story house that belonged to grandma.
     She took out the cards again and shuffled through them idly, turning over a card at random. It was the Devil who grinned at her ironically as though in response to her own dark reflections. The boy and girl chained to his throne smiled in their bondage as though the chains were no more than jewellery. "Success is the best revenge," said the Devil.
     "I'm not looking for revenge," Katerina replied rather piously.
     The captives laughed delightedly as though no one had ever said anything more amusing. "Everyone wants revenge," said the Devil, matter of factly. Katerina thought she should turn the card over immediately and find another one: the Devil was the wolf in the wood, the witch in the candy house, the wicked dwarf. She left the card lying where it was. "I'm homeless and out of work and without friends," said Katerina. "I think revenge is a little out of reach."
     The Devil twinkled. "By the pricking of my thumbs…" he said.
     "Sorry to interrupt you again," said a voice. "But you were so helpful the last time and it's difficult to find people who know their way about."
     "Oh, hi!" said Katerina a little startled by the unexpected intrusion but not unpleased, glad, in fact. Too glad. Being asked the way wasn't much of a basis for a relationship! She thought that the young man looked like the kind of person who would give you flowers and chocolates and make a fuss of you generally. Someone who would hold you like you mattered. He looked kind and poetic and faithful. How could you see so much of someone in just a glance. She'd hadn't particularly noticed his eyes before but now she saw that they were grey green. "Did you find your way to Covent Garden?" she asked.