‘What is the meaning of this sudden appearance,’ her aunt demanded, ‘and who are these two?’ She waved a hand at Matthew and Dwight, who had closed the drawing-room door and were leaning against it with their arms folded. ‘If you don’t all leave at once, I shall call the police.’

‘Oh, please do.’ Jenny smiled evilly and glanced at Dwight. ‘Do you think we can have them arrested for attempted embezzlement?’

‘It would be fun to try,’ he drawled, hooking his thumbs in his belt and looking every inch the gunslinger from the movies.

‘What are you talking about?’ her mother demanded. ‘What’s all this nonsense about embezzlement?’

Jenny gave her a long contemptuous stare, just managing to control a humourless laugh. ‘So they didn’t even tell you about the money.’ Her gaze swept over the three of them. ‘I know all about the way you’ve lied to me. Now I want to know why! I’ll start with you, mother! Father divorced you for adultery. He wanted custody of me. You never cared for me, so why didn’t you agree?’

‘If I’d done that, he would have taken you to America, but while you were with me he had to support us both. What did you expect me to do? He was wealthy. I wasn’t going to live in poverty!’ She looked outraged at the very idea.

Jenny turned away in disgust and dismissed the avaricious woman from her thoughts. She was no longer her daughter.

‘And now you, aunt. Why did you tell me that my father had committed suicide when you knew it wasn’t true?’ Her voice trembled. In her view, this was the most heinous crime. ‘You never liked him, always running him down, but why try to demean him even in death?’

‘I don’t have to explain myself to you,’ her aunt said haughtily. ‘You look as if you have just come out of the slums.’

‘I have, and it’s a whole lot more savoury than here, I can tell you. The people I live with might be poor, but they are honest!’ She stepped forward menacingly until she was face to face with this hated woman, pleased to see that she was now taller than her aunt. Jenny spoke through clenched teeth. ‘You will answer my questions or I’ll give you the thrashing you deserve.’

‘Albert!’

Jenny laughed and cast a quick glance at Greaves. He looked as if he wanted to run, but he wasn’t going to be able to get past Matthew and Dwight. ‘It’s no use calling for that coward. I’ll ask you just one more time. Why did you hate him so much, and why did you lie to me?’