She stood up and stared out into her garden, the water in the pool making gentle lapping sounds in the darkness. Then, as if making a decision, she opened one of the patio doors, grateful that she had not yet turned on the burglar alarm. Stepping out into the night, she followed the path along the garden towards the tennis court. She saw Paddy and knew instinctively he had sensed her.

‘It’s me, Paddy. You can lower your gun.’

‘Donna?’ It was a question, as if he couldn’t quite believe his eyes.

‘Yes, Donna. I think it’s about time you and me had a talk, don’t you?’ Her voice was stronger than she would have believed possible. She put this down to the brandy.

‘Let’s go inside and have a cup of coffee.’

As he followed her back to the house she was amazed that someone so big could make no sound at all as he walked behind her.

Inside the conservatory, she turned on the pool lights. They gave off a red glow that made the conservatory look friendly. She immediately felt more in control.

‘I’d rather a drop of hard, Donna, if you don’t mind.’

She went to the bar and poured him a large Bushmill’s, then she sat down on one of the large settees, and Paddy sat beside her. The gun was gone from view now.

‘What’s going on, Paddy? Why are you sneaking around my house? In the middle of the night, with a gun?’

He gulped at his drink and shook his head. ‘I can’t tell you that, Donna love.’

He looked into her deep blue eyes, saw the strain on her face, and felt the pull of her inside him. She didn’t deserve all this; she had never asked for any of it. Not for the first time since Georgio had been nicked, Paddy felt an urge to beat him. To let him know exactly what he had done through his greed.

Donna’s back stiffened and she hissed through clenched teeth, ‘You can’t tell me what you’re doing on my property? You have the gall to sit in my home, drinking my drink, and tell me that you can’t say why you’re here? Wait until Georgio hears this one! Or are you here because of him - is that it? Has Wonderboy decided I need nursing now or is he just worried I might be batting away from home, as Carol Jackson so eloquently puts it? What were you going to do, shoot the man for your boss or just maim him?’

Paddy shook his head, ashamed now. ‘Look, Donna, all we’re here for is to protect you, that’s all.’

Donna’s eyes narrowed. ‘We? How many are there of you? A battalion, a platoon, a gang of you - what?’