‘I don’t know. Two hundred pounds isn’t going to get us far. I’ll only be able to take one case with me, so I’ll need a whole new wardrobe. Plus there’s the train tickets, renting a property and I might not get a job straight away. Same goes for Trevor.’

Knowing Patrick O’Leary was loaded and would lend her money, Queenie was so desperate to get rid of the girl, she said. ‘How about five hundred pounds?’

Aware that she was now on to a good thing, Yvonne chewed at her fingernails. ‘It’s a difficult decision. I know Vinny’s only young, but I think I love him.’

‘I doubt you’ll be saying that when you end up in the Thames like Juliet did.’

‘No. You’re right, Queenie. Can I have a think about it?’

‘There’s no time to think, love. It’s only a matter of time before Albie tells Vinny you’ve been seeing Trevor again.’

‘OK. Make it a thousand pounds and I’ll be gone next week.’

‘A thousand!’

‘Yes. If you want me out of your son’s life, then that’s the price you’re going to have to pay I’m afraid.’

Queenie looked at the girl with distaste. She’d been right all along. Yvonne was one money-grabbing conniving little bitch.

Patrick O’Leary lent Queenie the eight hundred quid she needed without asking any questions.

Queenie told him it was a family matter, but Vinny was now earning good money of which she would save ten pounds a week and pay him back a hundred pounds at a time.

‘There’s no need. Call it a gift, Queenie,’ Patrick had said.

‘No. I’m not a ponce, Patrick. I will pay you back every penny, I promise.’

‘OK. Whatever. But don’t bother giving it to me in dribs and drabs. If and when you’ve got the full amount, you can give it to me then.’

Patrick never mentioned Marnie and Macca, so neither did Queenie. Patrick never mentioned Daniel either and even though Queenie was dying to ask what he was up to, she didn’t in the end. Patrick was in a rush to go to a business meeting anyway, so didn’t have time for small talk.

After leaving Patrick, Queenie found a phone box. Mrs Huntingdon-Brown had gone into one of her hissy fits when she’d called her this morning and lied she was unable to work as Brenda had sickness and diarrhoea and there was nobody else to look after her. So Queenie called her again, apologizing profusely and promising to do an extra day next week. This time Mrs Huntingdon-Brown didn’t slam the phone down, she just issued Queenie with a final warning that if she let her down again, she would be fired on the spot.

Queenie then took the piece of paper out of her pocket and rang the number. Yvonne answered; she’d also feigned illness to get the day off work, and was thrilled when Queenie told her she had all the money. ‘When and where shall I meet you?’ Yvonne asked excitedly. She’d spoken to Trevor the previous evening and he’d agreed to run away with her. A thousand pounds was a fortune, would set her up just nicely in life. She hadn’t mentioned her windfall to Trevor. That was nothing to do with him and if it didn’t work out between them, she’d have money to make a fresh start without him.