‘Jane?’

‘Jane Burtill. You know, our old neighbour. She’s working as our nanny now. She often used to look after the kids when Gail was …’

‘Drunk.’

‘Yes. Drunk.’

‘I went round to your old house this morning at nearly eleven o’clock and found your wife still in bed. She’d drunk a whole bottle of wine the evening before! A whole bottle! And there were other empty bottles in the rubbish bin.’

‘That was an abstemious night, then, because these days she usually drinks two bottles.’

Silence, then, ‘I didn’t know it was so bad.’

‘I tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t believe me.’

‘She needs help, Tom.’

‘I know, but you can’t force someone to dry out. Don’t you think I’ve tried? Jez offered to pay for her to go into one of those fancy drug-rehabilitation places, but she wouldn’t.’

‘She’s confused, really misses you. And she’s desperate to get back together.’

‘Mum, Gail thinks I’m rich now and what she really wants is her share of the good life. She only cares for herself, you know. She doesn’t even care for the kids. Did she even ask about them?’ There was no answer. ‘No, I thought not.’

He heard how his voice had risen and took a deep breath before saying more quietly, ‘And whatever Gail says or does, I’m not taking her back. If it hadn’t been for the kids, I’d not have stayed with her this long.’

‘How are the children?’

‘Rosy again, clean, well fed. They can sing and dance without anyone slapping them.’

‘She didn’t do that!’

‘She did. Anything to keep them quiet when her head was aching from the booze. Hayley learned to hide from her, and to hide Ryan.’

As the silence continued, he said, ‘Look, I’ll ring you in a couple of days, but I have to go and help Jez set up his studio now. He’s giving me so much that I want to do something in return. See you soon.’

He switched off the phone before she could protest, then sat with his head in his hands, torn every which way.

‘Are you all right?’

He turned to see Donna looking at him anxiously. He couldn’t speak, only shake his head.

She came to sit next to him. ‘Anything I can do to help?’

He found his voice. ‘No. Not really.’ But it was a comfort that Donna had offered.

She stood up. ‘If I can ever help … I mean that.’

‘Thanks.’ He watched her leave, trim and smartly dressed. Intelligence and purpose shone from her eyes – and beautiful eyes they were too, dark brown with thick lashes. Why hadn’t he waited till he could meet someone like her? Why had he let Gail trap him into marriage while he was at university? She’d barely waited for him to graduate before getting pregnant.

He’d never be free of her now, even if he didn’t live with her. He’d have to pay maintenance and he knew he’d worry about what she’d do to herself. But that didn’t mean he intended to sponge off his father. He’d accept help at the moment, for the children’s sake, but he’d pay Jez back eventually.