The look of hopelessness on Georgio’s face as she uttered the words made her feel a prize bitch. Gently caressing his face she said: ‘I love you, Georgio. Christ knows, I love you with every ounce of my being. For the first time ever I am really of use to you, I can be equal with you. Don’t you understand how that makes me feel? We haven’t talked so deeply in over ten years, not since we lost the boy. It gives me a reason for going on. I want you back, I want you beside me, can’t you at least understand that? After my initial fear, my worry about what I was doing, I am finally resigned to it all. How can you deny me this now?

‘I want to help you in any way I can,’ she said softly. ‘While you’re locked in here, I’m only half-alive, I might as well have been locked up with you. Leave me be now, darling. Let me work for you, beside you and with you on this. Just this once, Georgio, don’t throw it all back in my face. Not after all the trouble I’ve taken.’

Georgio took a deep breath. He needed this woman more than anything. Instinctively, he knew that while Donna was rooting for him, he had no worries. His moment of petty jealousy was over as quickly as it had come. As he had said to Sadie, he had other fish to fry.

‘I’m sorry, Donna, but you’re a very attractive woman.’ She smiled now, gently and heartwarmingly.

‘I’m glad you finally noticed, Georgio.’

He wiped a hand over his face. He had expected a lot of things today, but Donna and her newfound independence wasn’t one of them.

‘I put the house up for sale by the way,’ Donna suddenly announced, ‘and guess what! I had a visit from Bunty Robertson into the bargain.’

Georgio’s face darkened. ‘What did that parasite want?’

‘Well, that’s the funny thing, Georgio. I was amazed to see her on the doorstep after the way she treated me when you first got put away. I was annoyed she had already heard the house was going up actually, because it’s not as if there will be a For Sale notice or anything. I want it all low-key, like you asked me. Anyone looking in our price range will be given a colour brochure. I have no intention of letting people knock the door just for a glimpse around our home, and that’s what most of them would be after. I phoned the estate agent and gave him a piece of my mind.’

‘I can believe that.’ Georgio’s voice had regained its equilibrium.

Donna sighed. ‘I seem to be giving a little more out each day. If I’m not careful I won’t have any left!’