He flapped his hand at her dismissively. ‘No, it’s okay. I like having it where I can see it.’

Bored now of his big news, he stumbled over to his bed and sat down, patting the cover with a wrinkled hand. ‘Would you like to lie with me a while, Gemma?’

She forced a smile, moved over to him and plumped up his pillows. ‘Let me just wash up; give me ten minutes and I’ll come and sit with you.’

No matter how many times it happened, she always gave the same answer, and she always said ‘sit’ when William had said ‘lie’. Occasionally he would be fast asleep when she had run out of stalling time, and she hoped today would be one of those times.

‘Don’t be long,’ he called as she left the room.

Anna paused at the door, her eyes lingering on the black sports bag. ‘I won’t,’ she promised.

In the kitchen, she drummed her fingers on the table, deep in thought. Eighteen thousand pounds in cash, in a bag on the floor just above her head. Briefly she wondered if William would ever count it, and how much she could sneak out of the bag without him knowing.

Her eyes lit up at the idea, and once again she thought of the woman in the café. She’d bet Paula didn’t have eighteen grand at her disposal, no matter how much money Tommy made in his big important job in the City.

She was supposed to be clearing the dishes, and she cocked a head towards the ceiling, listening for sounds from William. All was quiet up there, and she reached for her phone. It opened on Paula’s Facebook page, and there was yet another post from the woman.

Unexpected present from Tommy! And the accompanying photo: tickets for a cruise to Iceland.

Anna zoomed in, looked at the date on the ticket. Leaving Southampton in seven days. She placed her phone on the table, careful to avoid the gravy spots from William’s messy meal.

A thump from upstairs, followed by slow, shuffling footsteps. She sighed, pushed herself up from the table and began stacking the plates.

‘Gemma!’ William’s voice came from above.

‘I’m coming, just clearing the dinner things,’ she called back.

As she worked, she caught sight of her reflection in the window. A beautiful girl, an expensive dress, covered by an apron spattered with pieces of the old man’s dinner.

She turned away and pulled the apron off over her head. Bundling it up and throwing it on the table, she walked slowly up the stairs towards William.

He woke early, like all old people seemed to. Anna hadn’t slept, and at close to midnight she’d tried to slip off the bed, but William had heard her, and his big hand had gripped her upper arm and pulled her head back down to the pillow.