Let her talk, let her talk . . .

Fiona gave a sad, twisted little smile, there and then gone. ‘There were always women, you see. Other women.’

‘Mrs Maguire, do you suspect your husband absconded with one of these women?’ asked Farmer gently.

She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. How would I know? Donny never really confided in me about anything, and certainly not about that.’

‘I appreciate you doing this, Mrs Maguire,’ said Farmer. ‘I know this must be very difficult for you.’

She gave a laugh that was almost a sob. ‘Difficult? My whole life with him has been difficult.’ Then her eyes pinned him. ‘There was a girl. A girl at the gate.’

‘What girl? When?’

‘It was two, maybe three years ago. I was sick of it. I knew there were women, lots of them. Women adored Donny. Maybe because he seemed tough. Actually I don’t think he was. I think he was just cruel.’

‘Was he cruel to you, Mrs Maguire?’

‘Sometimes.’

Farmer nodded. Donny’s form sheet was getting worse all the time and still this poor mare was looking for him.

‘The girl . . . ?’ he prompted.

‘She came to the gate and stood there. She was watching the house. She came several times, once there was a boy with her. My patience snapped. I was afraid the children might see her and start to wonder, and I could never let them think badly of their father, do you understand?’

‘I do,’ said Farmer.

‘I thought I’d face her down. So I went out to the gate and I said to her, “Are you one of his women?” And she ran off.’

‘I see.’

‘The thing is, she was dazzling, this girl.’ Her mouth twisted with bitterness. ‘She looked so young and so fresh. Bright blonde hair, wonderful skin, and these fantastic blue eyes. Come to bed eyes, don’t they say? Well, she had eyes like that. There are so many pretty women in this world, but very few true beauties. And this one was a beauty. Helen of Troy caused a thousand ships to be launched, didn’t they say that in the history books? Well this girl could do the same.’

117

1974

If there was one thing Angel wished, it was that Dora could have been here to see this – maybe even walk her down the aisle, if it had been a big wedding. In the event, it wasn’t. Lenny made the arrangements at the register office. There were a few of his friends there on the day, strangers to her. Annie Carter wasn’t among them and Angel was a bit sad about that; she’d like to have thanked her. On Angel’s side, of course, there was no one except Tom.

She’d thought – just briefly – of inviting her mother’s family along, and in a way she’d wanted to. It was awful, having no family. But at the final moment she couldn’t do it. Their presence here would spoil the whole thing. Angel couldn’t let go of the resentment she’d felt over their callous neglect of her mother. Dora had been on their doorstep, begging for help. Dora had needed them, and they had turned their back on her, left her to her fate. Then they’d had the front to turn up at Mum’s funeral trying to look distressed. The truth was, they hadn’t given a shit about Dora or her child. So now Angel was returning the favour. Fuck them.