Donna watched her till she rounded the bend by the kitchen garden and then she felt the tears come into her own eyes. They weren’t tears of sadness though, she admitted to herself. They were tears of anger.

Ten minutes later, she went back inside, walked past a silent Dolly and locked herself in Georgio’s office. Here she read and re-read his letters of love and need, drank in every word on the pages and told herself that this was what she wanted. Her husband adored her and she adored him, and she would do anything to get him back with her.

Anything.

And if she was getting tougher, then that was all to the good. Softness had never got her anything. For the first time in her life she was her own woman and she was learning to fight for what she wanted.

And if fighting made men like her husband and Alan Cox sit up and take notice, then she would fight to the death.

Paddy sat opposite Georgio in the visiting room of Parkhurst and grinned.

‘You’re looking well.’

Georgio shrugged. ‘What exactly happened with Donna and Alan, Paddy I want to know everything.’

‘What I told you,’ the Irishman said. ‘She went into his flat and came out fifty-six minutes later. She had obviously showered and changed. She picked up her car and went home.’

Georgio looked into his friend’s face. ‘Do you think there’s anything funny going on there, Paddy? I want the truth as a mate. You’ve hinted as much.’

Paddy looked into Georgio’s face and sighed inwardly. ‘I really don’t know. Knowing Donna like I do, I would say no way. That’s not her scene.’

Georgio leant across the table. ‘And you know what her scene is then, do you?’

Paddy moved away from Georgio and surveyed him steadily. ‘What’s that supposed to mean? Only if you wasn’t so fucking close-mouthed over everything that’s going on, maybe you wouldn’t have had to rely on Donna to do all the donkey work. I know what’s going down and let me tell you something - I realised from the off what you were planning the moment I knew she was dealing with Cox. And if I sussed it, you can bet your arse someone else has as well.’

Georgio closed his eyes. ‘I have got to get out of here, Paddy, and soon.’