‘That’s none of your business. Don’t get above your station. I can soon dispose of you – send you back to that impotent Frenchman.’

‘Ah, impotent, is he? Well, how come I have a daughter then who is supposed to be nothing to do with you?’

‘What? Oh, shut up. Don’t start to grind that old stone, it’s getting on my nerves. I have more important things to think about.’

‘More important? More important than your own daughter?’

‘Christ, if you don’t shut up, I’ll shut you up.’

‘One of these days you’ll have to, as I know a lot about you, Harold.’ Now that she had started, Susan couldn’t stop. This wasn’t about Mags any more, as Mags was free. But she wasn’t. She was still shackled, and without her baby. ‘And no, I won’t shut up. You use emotional blackmail to keep me here. Well, I’ll use real blackmail to get our daughter here under your roof. I’ll tell all I know, if you don’t agree to let me have Sybil here. And I tell you, I know far more than you think.’

‘Have you gone mad? I come home, looking to find comfort and help from you, as my bloody wife is roaming free out there – where she could do untold harm by seeking a divorce and splitting the fortune I have down the middle – and you go on about your stupid bastard daughter!’

‘How dare you. How dare you! My daughter is our daughter. Why can’t you get that into your thick skull? And if she is stupid, it’s because she takes after you! YOU PIGHEADED BASTARD!’

For the first time since all of this exploded inside her, Susan felt afraid of what was happening. Harold was in front of her before she even realized he’d moved. Her head stung as he grabbed her hair, twisted it round his hand and brought her to her knees. Excruciating pain racked her head, as chunks of her hair were yanked from her skull.

Through tears that stung, Susan saw Harold’s knee rise, but could do nothing to stop it smashing into her face. Her nose cracked. Dazed and sobbing, she felt the blows and kicks to her body as his spittle sprayed over her.

‘I’ll kill you! You slut. You’ve hounded me for years. You’ve ruined everything for me. You’ve been like a leech clinging to me and sucking me dry.’

‘Stop, stop, please stop, Harold. I – I’m sorry. I love you. I’m sorry.’

But her words went unheeded until, like a bloodied ragdoll, she fell into blackness.

When Susan came to she was in the bath. Harold was bathing her, his sobs loud, his eyes bloodshot and his face wet with tears. ‘Forgive me. My lovely Susan, forgive me. How could I do this to you? It’s her fault – that swine of a wife of mine. She’s done this. She’s driven a wedge between us.’

Through lips that felt as though someone had stuck a huge wobbly jelly to them, Susan managed to utter, ‘No.’