He smiled at her gently.

‘I think you had too much to drink, my dear. You had an accident.’

Elaine stared at him with her compelling green eyes for a few seconds and George went cold. It was as if the whole night’s events were written in them for all to see. Then she closed them tightly.

If she remembered what had taken place she didn’t say so. George was even more worried. Supposing she did? What then?

‘Shall I make you a nice hot drink?’

Elaine nodded painfully, her hand going up to her bandaged head.

He got up from the floor and went to the kitchen, his eyes boring into every corner to make sure he had picked up every bit of evidence.

While he was gone, Elaine lay passively on the floor. Then, unannounced, a fat tear pushed its way from underneath her eyelid.

George had tried to kill her. She remembered it all. He must know about Hector.

When he came back with the steaming tea, she was crying loudly, her ample shoulders heaving once more.

Putting the tea on the table, he pulled her into his arms.

She knew.

‘I’m sorry, Elaine, I am so very sorry for what I did. I thought you had a boyfriend or something. I realise that’s ridiculous. Forgive me for a moment of madness and jealousy.’

Elaine sniffed loudly, gratified in a way that George could be jealous, but not at all sure she liked the ‘ridiculous’ bit.

He did not know for certain about Hector yet he had physically attacked her. He had hurt her.

She would have to be very careful in the future.

George watched her face and knew everything she was thinking. It was like watching a television screen. Thank God he hadn’t killed her. For the Grantley Ripper to be caught like that!

But one thing he was sure of: he would have to play this one very carefully. Elaine was not going to forget this in a hurry.

She felt the change in George and shuddered. He was like before. When they had had the trouble. Only this time it was all her fault.

She closed her eyes. Poor George.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

It was Monday morning and George brought Elaine breakfast in bed. She felt and looked dreadful. Her head had swollen where it had hit the tap and the scab that had formed had dried on to the surrounding hair, making it impossible for her even to touch her head lightly. Once the effect of the drink had worn off she was left with a violent headache and George’s solicitous manner was not helping.

He got on her nerves.

After his attack - and it was an attack, she told herself - she did not really want anything to do with him. She needed time alone to think it all through.