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Back The Widow Save as PDF
Chapters (92)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PART I
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. PART II
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. MORE FROM VALERIE KEOGH
  90. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  91. The Murder List
  92. About Boldwood Books

Since it was what Allison was thinking, she merely nodded. ‘Go on, Portia, explain.’

‘He saw us together. I think I was laughing at something you said.’ She moved the glass.

‘Stop doing that, for fuck’s sake,’ Jo said, finally snapping.

Portia took her fingers away as if they’d been burnt. ‘Sorry.’

‘Ignore Ms Grumpy Arse,’ Allison said. ‘Go on with your story.’

‘There isn’t much more to tell. Stuart liked to be in control of everything, including what made me happy. Seeing me with you, it threatened his authority, his power over me.’

‘Or maybe he was afraid a friendship with a successful woman might give you ideas,’ Jo suggested.

Portia stared at her. ‘Maybe you’re right; I hadn’t thought of it that way.’

‘But you were still willing to drug me, lock me in that prison; you’d have let him rape me.’ Allison had to remind herself what this woman was capable of. Had to keep reminding herself, to stop the wave of sympathy that was rising at the years of abuse this woman had suffered at the hands of that man.

Portia, who was still staring at Jo, turned her head slowly. ‘No, I wouldn’t have, actually.’

77

It wasn’t the answer Allison had expected and rendered her temporarily speechless. It didn’t have the same effect on Jo, who gave a cynical laugh before saying caustically, ‘Yeah, right, easy to say that now, isn’t it?’

Ignoring her, Portia kept her eyes on Allison. ‘It’s what I’d done before. Kept the woman subdued until she was forced to agree to the inevitable. Some did quicker than others, sex with Stuart being seen as preferable to being starved. When they realised he simply wanted them to lie there and accept his… attentions… they became more resigned.’ She picked up her glass, realised it was empty and put it down again. ‘Every time I conspired to drag another woman home, a little part of me died.’

Allison saw Jo raise her eyes to the ceiling and prayed she’d keep her mouth shut.

Portia kept her eyes on the glass she still held between her fingers. ‘You did fall down several steps on the stairway, you know.’ Lifting her eyes, she waved her index finger at Allison’s face. ‘It’s where you got that and the rest of your bruises. I did say, but I wasn’t sure you believed me.’

‘I don’t remember anything between drinking the spiked Prosecco and waking in that bed, covered in bruises and naked.’

‘Naked, yes.’ Portia sighed. ‘It was Stuart’s idea. He wanted to see your body and believed it heightened vulnerability and fear.’

Allison remembered the sense of dread, the panic. ‘It worked.’

‘I bet he had a good look, eh? A naked, helpless body. One he was going to get the opportunity to fuck at some point.’ Jo shook her head. ‘You make me sick.’