The course was set, she was into this already, up to her neck in fact. A police car drove past her on the A13 and she smiled sadly. Would the time ever come again when a police car would be seen by her as a blessing? Would she once again feel safer because it was on the road with her? Or would she become like Georgio, and see the police as the enemy? Would she live her future life looking over her shoulder?

Once Georgio was out, they would in effect become outlaws. Her little world would be blown open; they would never return to England again. Suddenly the Essex countryside looked very beautiful, the fields laid out in neat squares, the farmhouses of red brick picturesque and homely. They would be forced to live abroad, and it would be in extreme heat if she knew Georgio. He loved the sun, always had. It occurred to her that she was giving up an awful lot to have her husband back with her once again, but it was worth it. Even leaving her life here was worth it; anything was worth Georgio’s being beside her once more. All she had found out about him was as nothing compared with her love for him. Her need of him. Donna pushed Dolly and Maeve and Pa Brunos from her mind, because once they left England, she and Georgio would be leaving them also.

As she approached her house, she stopped in the village and went into Carpenter’s, the estate agents. Georgio had asked her to put the house up for sale, as they would need as much money as possible. Once they were out of the country, their assets would be frozen. It would become difficult to gather funds together. She was preparing to lose her adopted family, Dolly and her lovely home, yet Donna didn’t falter as she stepped into the estate agents.

This was for Georgio and for herself.

They would be together for ever. That was what she had to keep telling herself, no matter how hard any of it became. She shook herself mentally, reminding herself that her husband was sitting in a maximum security prison being tormented by a man who would terrify Jack the Ripper.

Donna allowed herself a small feeling of satisfaction as she spoke to the estate agent; she was getting good at lying. Georgio would be proud of her.

‘What is the joke, madam?’ The handsome young man before her was looking at her quizzically.

‘Oh, nothing you would understand.’

She made her goodbyes and left, wondering what Dolly’s reaction to the sale of the house would be. After all, it was her home as well.

Sidney Carpenter grinned in satisfaction at his boss.

‘You know who that was, don’t you?’