Knowing that her mother understood how she was feeling was a relief in itself, though. She could come to her now, she could ask her advice, she had a sounding board and she had a feeling that, without this conversation, she would eventually have lost her mind.

‘I love you, Mum.’

Ria smiled sadly. ‘I love you too, poppet.’

She glanced at their reflection in the mirror and she saw how old she was getting, and how this daughter of hers was ageing too quickly because of her constant scowl. She already had the beginnings of lines around her eyes and her mouth. But she was still a truly beautiful girl, and she deserved much more in her life than she had now.

Chapter Twenty-Five

‘Come on, Peter, I’ve held me hand up, I’ve swallowed about as much as I can without a fucking stomach pump. So I’m asking you nicely, with a pretty please, and a cherry on the top: can I have the debts back?’

Peter Bailey looked into his brother’s eyes. They were a real blue, just like his mum’s. She had the same big eyes, the same deep blue colour. All Daniel’s kids had inherited them as well. Peter’s kids were brown-eyed like him; he had hoped years ago that one of them would get those blue eyes, but it had never happened.

Now, looking at Daniel’s eyes, seeing how much he resembled their mum, and knowing that, deep down, he had always secretly envied his brother because of that, he wondered how this state of affairs had ever come about. ‘I am willing to give you the debts, Dan, but you have to promise me you will not give any unnecessary grief to the people you come into contact with.’

Daniel closed his eyes in genuine consternation. ‘Don’t you think I’ve been shamed enough, Peter? Do you think I don’t know what people think of me? Do you really think I am that fucking stupid? I want the debts because I am good at collecting, and I want to prove that I am ready to take on some of the responsibility again. After all, we are supposed to be partners, ain’t we?’

Peter knew how hard that was for his brother to say out loud. Daniel would never get over the shame of being blackballed by those he had seen as no more than his workforce. These were men who liked Lenny Jones, but who also knew that if they did not do something about his treatment, they could well find that they were next. Peter got that; he really could see their point of view. Daniel, though, believed he was the victim of jealousy and grudges.