‘Quite sure. She sold them to an undercover policewoman,’ Miss Byrne responded bluntly.

Cynthia rolled her eyes in annoyance. ‘For God’s sake, what was she thinking! She has a little baby to care for and she does something that stupid. I admit I had my suspicions – I mean, she’s always out. I knew she was taking something, I just didn’t know what.’ She gave the baby a rusk then fastened her into her high chair. ‘She’s so young, too young really to have a baby. I would have suggested an abortion but my mother would have none of that, of course. And now this little darling is here we wouldn’t be without her, but . . .’ She left the sentence unfinished but Miss Byrne actually felt herself agreeing with the woman’s opinion.

‘So you are happy to keep the child until we deem Gabriella capable once more to take over as the primary carer?’

Cynthia wondered if the woman had swallowed a dictionary; she bet that kind of talk went down a bundle on the council estates. ‘If you mean will I take on my granddaughter until my Gabriella is on her feet again, then yes.’

Miss Byrne agreed. ‘Quite. Well, everything seems fine here and, I must say, the nursery is lovely. She really is a lucky little girl.’

Cynthia preened at the praise and, after she had shown Miss Byrne to the door, she picked up her granddaughter and said in an excited voice, ‘It’s just me and you, kid! Just me and you!’

Hugging the child to her, she made a mental note to give Christine Carter a few quid; after all, without her none of this would have been possible.

Chapter Ninety-Nine

‘What possessed you, child?’

A couple of nights in the cells had certainly sobered Gabby up, no doubt about that. She looked terrified.

‘Drug-dealing! That I should live to see the day!’ Mary was heartbroken at the news, and it was this that made Gabby feel worse than ever.

‘I wasn’t, Nana – at least, that was the first time I’ve done it. Christine asked me to do it for her because she felt ill. I only did as I was asked, I know it was stupid . . .’

Mary shook her head in disbelief; how could this girl be so stupid? ‘First time, or fiftieth time, it will make no difference to the courts. And you had drugs in your system – that’s all come up on the blood tests. So you’ve lost your daughter. Guess who has her at this moment? Your mother, and I can tell you now you will have a hard time getting her back.’