After farewelling Mel, Grace put her phone in her pocket and hurried through the villa to the garden. Lawrence was frowning, looking at his mobile and ignoring Daisy, who was frolicking in the pool. He probably hadn’t watched her at all, thought Grace. Just as well she could swim, but Grace never left Daisy unattended in a pool; even if she was only playing near the pool Grace always kept her eyes on her. Grace sat in the deckchair next to Lawrence and spoke softly, though she found it difficult to keep the anger out of her voice.

‘So, Lawrence. Just why are you here?’

He looked up from his phone. ‘Such hostility!’ he said. ‘Is that any way to speak to the father of your child? It’s bad enough that you’ve dragged my daughter out of the country without my agreement.’

‘She’s my daughter too. You were fully informed of my every move. There’s not much more I can do if you don’t communicate with me. As you have not contributed anything to her support in any way, I had to take this job to pay the bills and feed us.’

‘I’d say you are all eating very well,’ he said snidely, waving his arm vaguely towards the house.

Grace chose her words carefully. ‘This might look very glamorous, but I am not paying for it, and my pay only comes in instalments, when I finish the various stages of the campaign. This is a huge job, and a job in which, although you have demeaned me and made me feel inadequate for years, I am respected and encouraged. I’ve been given a lot of responsibility, and I’m getting a lot of kudos for what I’m doing.’

‘Terrific. Bully for you. Then you won’t be needing anything from me.’ Lawrence smiled coldly.

‘It is your responsibility as a parent to contribute your share of Daisy’s upkeep.’ Grace could feel the familiar fury and frustration rising in her. No, don’t let him bait and rile you, an inner voice reminded her. She took a deep breath. ‘Lawrence, why can’t we be civilised about this? Our marriage is over, but we need to do the right thing by Daisy.’

Lawrence’s face darkened, his emotionless expression changing to one of barely controlled rage.

‘Don’t you ever give me any credit for having feelings?’ he hissed. ‘You always think the worst first. Don’t you think I miss my daughter? My family? That I’m also upset because we’ve lost our home?’

Grace almost laughed. ‘Our home? You mean the house you bought, you furnished, and you ran your way?’

‘And that I paid for!’