‘You seem to be doing all right. If you get a bite on the house, I’ll give you an account number to place the money in offshore. The last thing we want is our cash going into Nat West, ain’t it? We need it transferred out of the country. So whatever happens, you tell anyone interested that you can’t move until whatever date we have for me going on the trot.’

Donna nodded. ‘OK. I don’t think it’ll take long, to be honest. I put it up for three-quarters of a million. That’s a saving of at least two hundred and fifty thousand, so anyone with half a brain will jump at it.’

Georgio grinned. ‘Good girl. A bargain is a bargain. Shame really, when you think of all the work that went into the place.’

Donna grasped his hand and sighed again.

‘I thought of that actually, and it really made me sad. But wherever we can be together will be home to me. It’s taken me an awfully long time to come to terms with everything, you know, Georgio. I realise now how naive I was. I didn’t think for one second you were into any kind of dodgy deals. The mere thought would have shocked and horrified me, to be honest. Now all this has happened, I realise I couldn’t give a monkeys’ what you’ve done as long as I can still have you. As long as we can be together.’

Georgio stared down at their joined hands, his breath suddenly coming in short gasps. Donna’s open adoration of him, her naked longing, hurt him to watch.

‘Thanks for everything, Donna. I’m just sorry it had to come to this. I love you, girl. I’ll always love you.’

Donna basked in the glory of his words.

‘I still haven’t broken the news to Dolly that we’re moving,’ she said after a minute. ‘What do you think I should tell her?’

Georgio shrugged. He picked up a Mars bar and opened it nonchalantly.

‘Don’t tell her nothing. Just say we’re looking for a smaller place now. You can give her the bad news nearer the time.’

Donna frowned slightly. ‘That seems a bit callous after all the years she’s been with us.’

‘Listen, Donna, we’ve done her proud over the years, right? This is no time for sentiment. I will be leaving my parents, my brothers and sisters, everyone I care about. So Dolly for me is quite low on the list. I need to get out of here, and soon. I can’t fucking hack it here much longer. So don’t give me grief over bloody Dolly. She’ll survive.’

Donna bit her lip at his harsh words, realising the position he was in. Desperate times meant desperate measures. But his cavalier attitude over Dolly stung her to the quick.