‘He didn’t stand by you, Donna. You’re remembering with the rosy glow of a woman. He left you in on your own, he travelled the world, he carried on with his life. Every now and again he threw you a mercy fuck, and you were grateful for it. Do you know something? I was so pleased to see how devoted you were to him, I knew he had found a true love. It wasn’t until you’d been married a few years that I realised it was all one-sided. Oh, I’m not disputing he loved you, so you can take that look off your face. But he wasn’t in love with you any more. He loved you like he loved his car or his businesses. He owned you. Why can’t you see that, Donna, and get out now?’

Donna stared into her mother-in-law’s face.

‘If this wasn’t so sad, I’d laugh. All those mother-in-law jokes about how the girl isn’t a patch on the mother. How the clichés always have the mother resenting the girl who took her beloved son away - and I get you, Maeve. I worship your son and you expect me to leave him high and dry now? After twenty years of devotion you expect me to turn my back on him? If it wasn’t so terrible, it really would be a joke.’

‘He’s using you, Donna, and he’s using Stephen. God forgive me, I love the bones of him but I can see him for what he is. God only knows what else he’s involved in. Robbery and murder aren’t enough for him. He’s my son, I bore him and I know him better than anyone. He always had a sneaky way with him even as a child. Georgio goes out for what he wants and nine times out of ten he gets it. Remember that. And he doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process.’

Donna lost her temper.

‘I’m not listening to any more of this, Maeve. You’re obviously overwrought. Whoever visited you probably had a good reason. I’ll find out what it is and I’ll deal with it. Now will you come inside and have a cup of tea, and let’s never refer to this conversation again, OK?’

Maeve sighed heavily. ‘So, you’ll find out who visited me and you’ll deal with it, will you? You sound just like Georgio or Stephen or Davey Jackson. Even Paddy. You’re getting hard, Donna, and you’re getting in over your pretty little head. I’ll take a rain check on the tea if you don’t mind.’

And Maeve Brunos walked back to the house alone, her small body bristling with indignation and upset.