She was also becoming aware that her husband saw these daughters of his as the product of her machinations, her insistence that he let her sort it all out, because he was incapable of understanding the economics of a female’s education. But she was not to blame – it was her daughters who had failed them both, who had not understood that they were in a position to make something of themselves, who had both left a very expensive education with no more than a backward glance, and nothing whatsoever to show for any of it. Even she had read more books than they had, and that was saying something. She had simply assumed the school would see to everything they needed for a decent education – they were getting paid enough money after all. It had never occurred to her that the school would take the money and run.

Patrick saw his daughters as no more than the spoilt brats they were. He was absolutely right about that, of course. Now she had to break the news to him that Assumpta was pregnant. She was losing him, she knew that much; he already saw her as the architect of everything that had gone wrong with the family. This could be the final straw.

The girls were still at it. It was amazing really to see them in action. When they were fighting they really didn’t have any care for anyone else around them.

‘Assumpta, shut up for five fucking minutes and talk to me, will you?’

The girls both looked at their mother with abject shock at her words.

‘Your father is going to go fucking ballistic when he finds out you are in the club. So, if I were you, darling, I would think long and hard about his reaction to your news. I would also make sure that the father is on hand, or at least give him a name. By Christ, I never thought that I would look at you two and feel such shame!’

Assumpta and Gabriella exchanged glances. It suddenly occurred to them both just how serious the consequences of their lifestyles might be.

When Assumpta looked at her mother, Carmel saw the fear on her eldest daughter’s face. She had finally broken through to both of her girls.

‘Your father is going to want to kill whoever is responsible, take my word on that. So, please, Assumpta, use your brain for once, and try and make this as painless as possible for everyone concerned.’

Carmel Costello had finally won her daughters’ full attention and, even though she knew it was only because they needed her to stand between them and the man who had fathered them, it was still something of a coup for her.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Three