Still, at least Mary had heard from Gabby. She didn’t sound thrilled at her new accommodation but she didn’t sound too down about it. She was going to school at least, and she said it wasn’t that bad. Well, it wouldn’t be for very long. Miss Bellamy thought they had a good chance of getting custody of her, but it was down to the courts now. Mary sighed; she was too old for this drama.

It was Jack she really felt for though. He had taken it much worse than she had believed possible. He had liked Jimmy, despite his weaknesses. For all he came from a different background and environment, they had got on very well together. She suspected that Jack had felt sorry for the man, but then hadn’t they all? They would have felt sorry for anyone who had taken on Cynthia knowing her as they did.

And then there was Celeste to worry about. Mary had hoped she would finally walk away from Jonny after the last little lot, but it wasn’t to be. She thought Celeste should have seen him for what he really was, but the girl wasn’t right and hadn’t been right for many a long year.

As Mary walked into the kitchen, she felt an enormous pain. It hit her chest and travelled down her left arm. She was suddenly breathless and, as she leant out to grab hold of a chair for support, she collapsed on to the floor, knocking over the tea things on her way.

Jack rushed out to see what the commotion was and, seeing his wife’s grey face and shallow breathing, he phoned immediately for an ambulance, all the time cursing his elder daughter, and blaming her for her mother’s collapse. It was a wonder this hadn’t happened before now; she’d had more than enough on her plate the last few years, and this was the upshot. If he lost his Mary, he would do for that whore of a daughter himself, and that was a promise.

Chapter Seventy-One

Linford pulled in to the scrapyard in Bow, and parked between a new Daimler Sovereign, and an old stacked-head Mercedes. The Portakabin was ablaze with lights and, for a few seconds, Linford felt apprehension envelop him. He didn’t know what it was, but something about this whole set up stank.

He had tried to voice his opinion to Jonny but he wouldn’t budge. He was gagging for this villa lark, and who could blame him? It was the maximum return for the minimum outlay. It was all about renting offices, and looking the part. Once people parted with their dosh that was that. Over, done with, gone.