All right then, she thought flatly. So where and how could she get the money that she was determined to have? She’d invested too much of her time, energy and emotion on things to let this latest farce come between her and the cash she had set her mind on. She needed a new start, damn it. In her mind’s eye, she was already spending the money, maybe even living abroad. Buying expensive French perfume, lying in the sun on a beach in the Med somewhere, with no more worries about having to scrimp and save.

She got up and paced about a bit, her brown eyes flicking impatiently around the room. She had paid upfront for three more days here, and her mum didn’t mind having Vicky over the holidays, so she didn’t have to rush back.

So she might have enough time to come up with a Plan B.

On the other hand, she had to consider any possible risks. It was one thing to reach for the jackpot when you knew what you were doing and were confident that you weren’t taking too many chances. It was another thing altogether to wing it and hope for the best.

Did she cut and run?

Or hold out and find another angle?

She read the newspaper article for a third time, but the facts were still scanty. Which meant she was probably safe enough for the moment. Terry would hardly have been likely to talk to anyone else about her, would he? And certainly not to that silly cow he’d thought he was going to marry.

Abruptly, Phyllis Raynor stopped pacing and thought about Millicent Vander for a bit. The last time she’d seen her had been at the New Year’s Eve party Millie had hosted; a party that she’d been only too happy to gate-crash with such high spirits and high hopes.

Millie Vander, so proud of her red hair and ‘pocket Venus’ glamour. The hostess with the mostest, so well brought-up and pampered for all her life.

Oh yes, Phyllis knew a fair bit about Millie. Widow of a rich husband who’d given her all that she’d ever wanted. And before that, born to well-heeled, very respectable parents who’d also indulged her every whim.

Women like that grew up never knowing what it was to have to claw and fight for everything they wanted. Women like that just expected their every desire to be served up to them on a silver platter. Like a younger, handsome man, for instance.

My, my, hadn’t Terry hit the jackpot with that lady bountiful?

The look on his face when he’d spotted her, Phyllis, at the party had been priceless!