‘Everything go all right?’ John looked up from the Evening Post as Joe walked into the living room.
‘I think so. Why?’ Joe asked suspiciously.
‘You’ve been a long time and I didn’t mean that as a criticism. Whisky?’
‘Please.’ Joe sat down. ‘I met Lily from work and took her for a drive in Robin’s car.’
‘Then you two are …’
‘Just friends.’ He looked at John. ‘You’ll be glad to know that I’ll be able to afford my own car now so I won’t need to borrow Robin’s – or yours.’
John handed him a glass of whisky. ‘Then your grandmother’s estate was worth having.’
‘According to Richard Thomas, I’m officially one of the richest – if not the richest – young men in Swansea.’ He watched John carefully as he mentioned Richard’s name, but there was no flicker of knowledge that suggested John knew the man was anything other than the family solicitor.
‘I’m happy for you, Joe.’
‘It will take a while to sink in. Do you mind if I take this’ – Joe held up the whisky – ‘upstairs? I have some studying to do.’
‘If you’re hungry, Mrs Jones left a fish pie in the kitchen.’
‘I’ll forage later.’ Joe took his glass and climbed the stairs. Switching off the landing light, he walked into his bedroom, leaving it in darkness. The curtains were open and light flooded out from their dining room and next door’s kitchen windows, shining down on Martin and Lily locked in one another’s arms below him in the garden. He continued to stand at his window, watching every move they made, all the while hating himself for being unable to walk away.
Katie knocked discreetly on the back door. ‘Jack’s upset and Mrs Lannon’s hysterical. Judy’s trying to calm her down but she’s threatening to give your uncle notice, Lily.’
Lily slipped her arms round Martin’s waist. ‘Kiss me again, quick.’
‘Tomorrow.’ Martin wrapped his arm round Lily’s shoulders and faced his sister. ‘Why is Jack upset? Helen’s not worse, is she?’
‘He doesn’t know. She overheard Jack telling one of the doctors he was leaving on Sunday to do his National Service and fainted, but they turfed him out of the hospital before she came round.’
‘Don’t worry, sis, I’ll look after him.’ He smiled at Lily. ‘See you tomorrow?’
‘Yes.’
His smile widened as he went to the door. ‘We should quarrel more often.’
‘You and Martin quarrelled?’ Katie asked, as she led the way up the basement stairs.
‘Our first.’
‘But you’ve made it up.’
‘As you saw.’
‘I’m glad.’
‘Glad enough to brave Mrs Lannon with me?’ Lily whispered as they reached the top of the stairs.
‘That’s a lot to ask.’
‘Please, she’s always preferred you to me,’ Lily pleaded, as she opened the door to the hall.
‘Only if you stand between us, so I can run if I have to,’ Katie compromised.
*……*……*
Esme walked restlessly from bedroom to bedroom, switching lamps on and off, standing at the windows and straightening the drapes, studying the garden and sea views as if she’d never seen them before and wasn’t likely to again; all the while wondering when, if ever, she’d be back.
Finally, she descended the curved oak staircase, allowing her fingers to linger over the banister and thinking it strange that she had never noticed just how fine the carving was before. The drawing room was furnished with antiques that had been her father’s pride and joy. He had courted experts and frequented auction houses, making it his business to find out when the best pieces would come up for sale and always insisting on detailed provenance. If she had inherited the place she would have swept them aside, ripped out the picture and dado rails, done away with the coving and painted the walls in bright modern colours, purple, orange, rich crimson and blue … but then, the house wasn’t hers. It was Joseph’s and he would prefer to allow strangers to live in it rather than his own mother.
As she left the drawing room for the dining room, her heels echoed hollowly over the wood block flooring, raising goose bumps. Although she’d grown up in the house and moved back in after she’d left John, it was the first time she’d actually spent a night alone in the place. The housekeeper had packed her bags and left less than an hour after Richard had read the will. Her mother had joined her father in his grave … and she … what was to become of her?
Richard, John and Joseph expected her to move into the flat above the shop on Newton Road that John had signed over to her as part of the divorce settlement. She hadn’t set foot in the place but she knew it would be small and noisy. How could she make a new life for herself there, without status or friends, after living in this house? And how like men to expect her to do so, after they had destroyed every dream and ambition she’d ever had.
Richard had killed her aspirations of drama college and a glittering stage career by impregnating her and, as if that weren’t enough, influencing her mother to leave her estate to Joseph so she’d remain a pauper. John had blighted her best years by stifling her in domesticity and forcing her to live in town, effectively removing her from the social circle she had been born into. And Joseph – the son she had sacrificed so much for – wouldn’t even allow her to stay on as his housekeeper.
The injustice of her position’ burned, intolerable, humiliating. She could either move out meekly as they wanted her to, or she could fight back. Show all three of them they couldn’t pension her off to a trade address in Newton Road just because it was convenient for them to have her out of the way. That she still had some control over her life – and theirs.
‘Carrying on with Martin Clay in full view of the whole street …’
‘What’s going on?’ Roy enquired mildly, as he walked into the kitchen just as Mrs Lannon’s indignation was mushrooming into hysteria.
‘Your foster daughter and Martin Clay making love in the back garden in front of the whole street, that’s what’s going on.’ Mrs Lannon crossed her arms over her tightly corseted bosom and stared angrily at Lily.
‘In the garden?’ Roy raised his eyebrows as he looked from Judy and Katie, who had retreated into the corner, to Lily.
Noticing that he was finding it difficult to keep a straight face, Lily fought to suppress a smile. ‘We quarrelled, so we kissed and made up.’
‘It was disgusting,’ Mrs Lannon railed. ‘Everyone could see …’
‘Surely, only if they were looking out of their back windows, Mrs Lannon,’ Roy interposed.
‘You condone what she did!’
‘No.’ Unlike Lily, Roy realised his housekeeper would have a field day with the gossips if he sided with his foster daughter.
‘See,’ Mrs Lannon crowed. ‘Your uncle is as shocked by your behaviour as I am.’
‘Apologise to Mrs Lannon, Lily.’ Roy’s voice was stern but there was a twinkle in his eye that took the sting from his directive.
‘Sorry, Mrs Lannon.’
‘What was that?’ Mrs Lannon said loudly.
‘I said, I’m very sorry.’
‘That’s fine for you, Lily Sullivan. But Martin Clay shouted the rudest things … and me old enough to be his mother.’
‘I’ll ask Martin to apologise to you,’ Lily promised.
‘Not by going down into that flat again tonight, you won’t.’ She stepped in front of Roy. ‘I warned you, Mr Williams. You give these girls far too much leeway. They’ll end up like that Helen Griffiths …’
‘Lily’s apologised, Mrs Lannon. I think that’s enough for one night, don’t you?’ Roy broke in sharply.
‘Well, as long as you don’t expect me …’
‘I only expect you to do what I pay you for, Mrs Lannon, run the house. Now if there’s nothing else that’s important, there’s something I have to discuss with Lily.’
‘You need a woman’s help …’
‘It’s private family business, Mrs Lannon.’
‘There’s your supper …’
‘Lily can cook it. I’m sure you’re tired after your long day,’ he added in a tone he hoped would put an end to further argument.
‘Who wouldn’t be. This isn’t a small house …’
‘And we’re all very grateful for the job you do.’
‘I’m sure.’ Sniffing hard, Mrs Lannon picked up her handbag from the kitchen chair and stalked out.
‘Do you really want to talk to me, or did you just say that to get rid of Mrs Lannon?’ Lily asked as the door closed.
Holding his finger to his lips, Roy stole lightly to the door and opened it suddenly. His housekeeper was standing in the dining room fumbling in her handbag. ‘Have you lost something, Mrs Lannon?’
‘I thought I’d mislaid my pills but I have them after all.’
‘I’m so glad.’ He remained in the doorway.
‘I’ll say goodnight, then.’ Flustered, she went into the hall.
‘Goodnight,’ he called after her, only returning to the kitchen when he heard her step on the stairs.
‘Sorry, Uncle Roy,’ Lily apologised, as he closed the door.
‘You know what she is, love, try and be a bit more careful around her for your own sake.’
‘And Martin’s. What on earth did he say to her?’ Katie pulled a chair from the table and sat on it.
‘That Uncle Roy wouldn’t arrest us because we weren’t doing anything illegal.’
Judy and Katie burst out laughing.
‘Mrs Lannon’s definition of illegal is anything people enjoy,’ Judy said as soon as she could speak.
‘I’d love to know why she doesn’t annoy you as much as she annoys me.’ Lily looked at Katie.
‘Because I don’t let her.’
‘How can you ignore some of the things she says?’
‘Because she’s a lonely old women whose only interest in life is other people’s business.’
‘Katie’s right, love.’ Roy settled in his favourite easy chair next to the range. ‘It’s best to take no notice of her.’
‘That’s easier said than done.’
‘But you’ll try.’ He smiled persuasively.
‘For you, not her.’ Lily opened the pantry and checked the stocks. ‘How does bacon, eggs, beans, tomatoes and fried potatoes sound to you?’
‘Like you know how to look after a man. Judy, I think your mother would like a word with you.’
‘You two have fixed the date?’ she guessed.
‘I’m not saying anything.’
‘See you tomorrow.’ She ran to the front door.
‘Do you need any help, Lily?’ Katie asked as she returned to the kitchen after seeing Judy out.
Katie looked so drained that Lily shook her head. ‘Not to fry a couple of bits and pieces.’
‘Did you want to talk to me as well, Uncle Roy?’
‘No, love.’
‘Then you won’t mind if I have an early night.’
‘You’re not sickening for something, are you?’ Roy questioned solicitously as Katie went to the door.
‘Just concerned about Jack and Helen. She found out tonight that he’s leaving on Sunday.’
‘Anything I can do to help?’ He reached for his pipe.
‘Not unless you can persuade the army to let Jack off National Service.’
‘If I could, I would.’
‘I’ll try not to disturb you when I come up.’ Lily lifted down two frying pans and a saucepan from the cupboard.
‘The way I feel, I’d sleep through an earthquake. Goodnight.’
‘So,’ Lily picked up the conversation where she’d left off before Roy had disturbed Mrs Lannon’s eavesdropping. ‘Do you really want to talk to me?’
‘I think I’d better, before Mrs Lannon paints you as the scarlet woman of the neighbourhood.’
‘Martin and I were only kissing …’
‘Not that kind of talk.’ He flushed with embarrassment as she cracked two eggs into a basin. ‘I know you haven’t forgotten how Norah brought you up.’
‘As if I could.’ She dropped a knob of lard into one of the pans, waiting until it melted before laying four rashers of bacon and the eggs on top. ‘I won’t disgrace you, Uncle Roy, I promise.’
‘That goes without saying, love. But I hope you were serious about trying not to annoy Mrs Lannon even if it means sneaking around and keeping whatever it is you do with Martin out of her sight.’
‘Like kissing.’
‘Especially kissing.’ He grinned.
‘Do you think she was born old?’ she questioned seriously.
‘Probably, unlike Joy and me. Judy guessed right. We’ve fixed a date with the Register Office. The second Saturday in July.’
‘Auntie Norah would have been over the moon.’
‘And you?’
‘I couldn’t be happier for you and Mrs Hunt.’ Abandoning the frying pans, she gave him a bear hug.
‘That’s why I need to talk to you. Nothing’s been decided as yet, but Joy suggested it makes more sense for me to move in with her than the other way round. She has her home just the way she likes it and it’s taken her years to get it that way. The last thing she wants is all the fuss of a move while she’s setting up another salon.’
‘But this is your home, Uncle Roy. Won’t it be hard for you to leave?’ Lily tried not to think selfishly about her and Katie. If her uncle sold the house they would have to look for a bedsit …
‘It was my home, Lily. But even when I was a boy my mother and Norah put their stamp on it more than my father and me. Not that I’m complaining, it’s what women do. They can’t help it and as it makes for more comfort for us men in the long run, we put up with it.’
‘Are you leaving me and Katie here with Mrs Lannon?’ She tried to sound positive, but Roy could see she was horror-struck at the thought.
‘How serious is it between you and Martin?’
‘He told me he loved me tonight.’
‘Did he, indeed.’
‘Yes.’ She glanced at him before checking that everything was cooking properly, but it was difficult to read the expression on his face.
‘Then you’ll be getting married?’
‘Not that serious.’ She placed the bread on a board and cut a couple of slices.
‘Then you won’t be getting married.’
‘We haven’t even talked about it but I’m in no hurry. Auntie Norah always used to say twenty-five was a good age to marry, young enough to have children and old enough to have had all your flings.’
‘That’s Norah.’ He smiled fondly at her memory as Lily arranged a plate and cutlery on the table. ‘When she died there were a few things we didn’t discuss because I thought they’d best be saved for later and now that later is here.’ He left his chair and washed his hands under the tap. Knowing better than to hurry him, Lily handed him a towel. ‘This house is yours.’
‘Mine!’ She dropped the spatula into the frying pan, sending globules of fat spattering over the hob.
‘When my mother died she left everything jointly to Norah and me. Then Norah married. A year later war broke out. Her husband wanted her to have something to fall back on if anything happened to him. This house is big enough to take in lodgers and he decided Norah could make a living that way if she had to. He thought it was important she had her independence. None of us knew what was coming and there was no guarantee that either of us would survive. So, to cut a long story short, he bought me out. I invested the money and did very nicely by it. Then, after Norah’s husband was killed and you came along, Norah suggested, and I agreed, that if anything happened to her, you should have the house. That way you’d never be without a home.’
Lily sat down.
‘Bit of a shock.’
‘You and Auntie Norah gave me so much when I was growing up and now this. I don’t know what to say. Thank you sounds so – inadequate.’
‘I’ve a feeling it’s going to be a bit of a mixed blessing, love. I agree with Joy that it makes sense for me to move in with her, but you and Katie are too young to be left on your own.’ He sat at the table.
‘You and Mrs Hunt will only be ten doors up if we need anything,’ she said eagerly. ‘And we won’t. You’ll see that Katie and I …’
‘Are capable young ladies,’ he interrupted. ‘But, there’s Mrs Lannon.’
‘We never needed her.’
‘There was gossip, love,’ he reminded her. ‘I’m a bachelor, not related by blood to either of you.’
‘And now you’ll be leaving, so there won’t be any more talk.’ Remembering the bacon and eggs, she leaped out of the chair and rushed to the frying pan.
‘There’ll be plenty if you give Mrs Lannon notice and I move out while you and Katie carry on living here with Martin and Sam in the basement.’ He handed her his plate.
‘We could brick up the connecting door.’ She heaped the bacon and eggs on to it and laid it before him.
‘You think a few bricks will stop the gossips?’
‘Probably not.’ Scooping the tomatoes, potatoes and beans into bowls, she set them on the table.
‘Especially with things the way they are between you and Martin. You and Katie could move in with Mrs Hunt and me …’
‘And spoil your honeymoon? Never.’ She buttered the bread she’d cut.
‘Judy will be there.’
‘She could move in with Katie and me …’
‘Only if you give the boys notice.’
‘Where would they go?’ Filling the frying pans with cold water, she put them in the sink to soak. ‘Rooms around here are like gold.’
‘So we have a problem.’
‘Unless Mrs Lannon stays,’ she conceded, ‘but Katie and I could never afford to pay her out of what we earn.’
‘No, you couldn’t, but then would you want her to keep house for you?’
‘I’ve said all along that Katie and I could do the cooking and the housework. We don’t need her.’
‘Except for her respectability.’
‘You’ve an idea, haven’t you?’ Taking the tomato sauce from the pantry, she handed it to him.
‘I have heard she’s had an offer to rent her house and she’s considering it.’
‘Then we’d be stuck with her.’ She joined him at the table.
‘You could offer her the top floor as a lodger, not housekeeper, and if you wanted to, you could make some extra money by renting out the other two bedrooms to a couple of girls.’ He took a large bite of bread.
‘Like Judy.’
‘Like Judy,’ he echoed, smiling at her transparent plotting to give him and Joy privacy, ‘and with Mrs Lannon on the premises no one would dare spread rumours about any shenanigans with the boys.’
‘But I would have to be nice to her.’ She made a face.
‘It’s worth thinking about, love.’
‘I will.’
‘About the house and the rent the boys have been paying. It’s in an account in your name. There’s probably enough there to pay for improvements to the basement like John Griffiths did next door. And if there isn’t, there’s also the money Norah left you.’
‘It seems wrong to touch it.’
‘Norah wanted you to have it. In the meantime I’ll check exactly how much rent money is in the account. But if you do decide to go ahead with the improvements, it would mean the boys moving out, at least temporarily, while they’re being done.’ He helped himself to tomatoes. ‘Something else for you to think about, love.’
‘No one else knows the house is mine, do they?’ she asked suddenly.
‘No.’
‘You won’t tell anyone, will you, Uncle Roy.’
‘You’d rather everyone carried on thinking the place is mine?’
‘For the time being.’
‘If that’s what you want.’ He pointed at the food on the table. ‘You going to help me with any of this?’
‘I ate earlier.’
‘Then go up to bed.’
‘The dishes …’
‘We still have a housekeeper.’ He grinned. ‘For the present. Let her do them in the morning.’
‘So what did you and Martin quarrel about?’ Katie murmured from the depths of the bed, as Lily returned to their bedroom from the bathroom.
‘Joe. I bumped into him after work. He had a problem and needed to talk to someone.’
‘And you volunteered.’
‘We’re just friends.’ Brushing out her hair, Lily plaited it and fastened the end with a rubber band.
‘But Martin doesn’t believe it.’
‘He does now.’ Climbing into bed, Lily switched out the light.
‘I’m glad.’
‘What’s wrong, Katie?’
‘Nothing,’ Katie answered.
‘You might be able to fool your brothers and Uncle Roy, but not me.’
‘I got the job in Lewis Lewis.’
‘Have you told Mr Griffiths?’ Lily questioned.
‘Yes.’ Katie paused for a moment. ‘He said he’ll give me a good reference.’
‘Oh, Katie.’ Lily gave her an enormous hug.
‘You seem to be everyone’s favourite agony aunt today, me, Joe …’
‘Want to talk about it?’
‘What is there to say? I don’t want to leave the warehouse, John doesn’t want me to go, but he’s too afraid of the things Mrs Griffiths will say if he keeps me on, so I’ve no option.’
‘And after his divorce?’ Lily tried to say something that would give Katie hope if not comfort.
‘That could be so far in the future neither of us dares think about it.’
‘I am so sorry.’
‘As my mother used to say, it’s no good wishing for the moon on a stick. Every moment I spent with John was so perfect it was almost as if I was too happy. Deep down I think I knew it couldn’t last.’
‘Pictures tomorrow night?’ Lily suggested, in an attempt to distract her.
‘What’s on?’ Katie asked uninterestedly.
‘A good Cowboy and Indian at the Plaza, according to the girls in the bank. It’s about an Indian chief, Crazy Horse. Victor Mature’s in it.’
‘I can’t stand Victor Mature.’
‘There’s a musical in the Albert Hall.’
‘Calamity Jane. I’ve seen it.’
‘It’s a crying shame to go to the pictures in summer anyway. Let’s go for a walk to Mumbles.’
‘The boys will want to join us, and Sam and Adam are driving me mad.’
‘You’ve seen Adam?’ Lily asked in surprise.
‘I got him and Sam to shake and make up tonight.’
‘Good for you, I hate quarrels.’
‘It wasn’t that hard.’
‘Sam and Adam won’t bother you if Martin and I are there.’
‘The sight of you two spooning makes it even worse. Besides, if Helen is coming out the day after tomorrow, someone should get the flat ready for her and although Jack might try, I can’t see him making a proper job of it.’
‘It’s immaculate.’
‘Last time I was sorting Helen’s clothes I noticed it could do with a good dusting and running the carpet sweeper over the rugs.’
‘Then Martin and I will help.’ Pushing her pillow into shape, Lily turned over in the bed.
‘If he finds out you volunteered him for that, you two will have another quarrel.’
‘No, we won’t. Besides, Jack should be there to make sure we put everything back right.’
‘As if he’d even know,’ Katie said dismissively. ‘He’d just get in the way.’
‘Then you and I can do it and Martin can take him for a drink.’
‘I suppose so.’
‘If you want to be by yourself …’
‘Not in John’s house,’ Katie broke in. ‘Although the flat is separate, it is still his house and if Mrs Griffiths found out that we were alone there at the same time, she might say something to Joe or Helen. What did your uncle want to talk to you about?’
‘He and Mrs Hunt have set the date, it’s July.’
‘That’s nice for them.’
‘Yes,’ Lily agreed. Either Katie was too preoccupied to think about the implications for them, or too distracted to ask about it, so she let the matter drop.
‘Sorry I’m such a moaning Minnie,’ Katie apologised.
‘You’ve every reason to be.’
‘Don’t you know sympathy is the worst thing you can give a moaning Minnie?’ Katie lay on her back and linked her hands beneath her head. ‘But thank you for being a friend and maybe soon sister-in-law.’
‘Definitely not soon. Goodnight, Katie.’ Lily closed her eyes. Within minutes her breathing became shallow and regular. Katie continued to lie still and unmoving lest she disturb her. All she could think about, all she could visualise was John’s face as he had pushed her away from him. And she was still thinking about him as the shadows lightened from dark to pale-grey and the first rays of morning stole through a chink in the curtains.
Mark Davies extracted an envelope from a file and slid it across the desk towards John as he walked into John’s office. ‘I received that this morning from Richard Thomas.’
‘What does it say?’ John pushed the letter he’d been reading aside.
‘Read it for yourself.’
‘You wouldn’t be my solicitor if I didn’t trust you, and I have a warehouse to run.’
‘Esme is giving you formal notice that she is about to move back into your house.’
‘She can’t. She …’ He fell silent as he studied the expression on Mark’s face. ‘She can?’
‘According to this, she left the matrimonial home to nurse her mother.’
‘That’s rubbish!’
‘And your daughter is about to be released from hospital and will need nursing care that only a mother can provide.’ Mark sat down.
‘Helen will never stand for Esme nursing her.’
‘Helen is eighteen, legally a minor …’
‘A married minor,’ John reminded him.
‘That’s another thing. Esme is citing Helen’s pregnancy and your permission for her marriage to …’ Mark opened the letter and scanned the page for the phrase he wanted “… a boy of criminal tendencies and persuasion” as an example of your unsuitability to have custody of the children.’
‘Custody! Joe’s twenty-one, Helen’s eighteen.’ John left his desk. ‘What does she really want?’
‘On the face of it, what this says; to move back into the matrimonial home.’
‘And if I refuse?’
‘At this stage it’s wiser to keep talking.’
‘Talking doesn’t seem to be bringing me any closer to a divorce.’
‘You have told me everything?’ Mark looked him in the eye.
John’s blood ran cold as he recalled Esme’s threat: Don’t think I’m going to do nothing while you let Katie Clay move in …’You think there’s something else you should know?’
‘Have you another woman tucked away somewhere?’
‘I’ve already admitted adultery,’ John answered evasively. ‘You fixed it up, remember.’
‘A technical adultery with a professional, which is of little use if Esme’s prepared to forgive you and take you back when she is the one who is supposed to be suing for divorce. And you can’t sue her without grounds, and desertion’s no good when she’s offering to move back in with you.’
‘There has to be something you can do to make her change her mind about dropping the petition,’ John urged.
‘Legally there’s nothing. But for the life of me I can’t see what she hopes to gain from her refusal to give you a divorce when you’re so set on it.’
‘Public sympathy, the respectability that comes with being a wife, even an unwanted one.’ John paced restlessly to the window and looked out over the yard. A lorry had just come in and the warehouse staff were unloading a consignment of Dansette record players and radiograms. ‘We could try upping the settlement.’
‘I’d advise strongly against that. As I keep telling you, it’s already far too generous for a wife without dependent children.’
‘But if it is simply a question of money …’
‘There is no mention of money in the letter, John. Just a request – sorry, a demand – you reinstate her as your wife.’
‘And if I refuse to do so?’ John turned his back to the window and looked at Mark.
‘I can’t understand Richard Thomas putting his name to a letter like this,’ Mark mused, not really listening. ‘If it should get out that he directed a client to reject such a generous settlement … of course, that’s it – the settlement. We could write to them, stating that your offer will remain on the table for, say, only one more week. If Esme persists in refusing to press ahead with her petition for divorce after that time, you’ll withdraw it and her monthly allowance, in favour of drawing up your own petition.’
‘And if she still refuses to go ahead?’
‘Then we’ll do exactly that,’ Mark said flatly. ‘Withdraw your settlement offer, stop her allowance and set about lodging another petition. Adultery would be the simplest. If you’re certain she’s had lovers I’ll get a private investigator on to it.’
‘And in the meantime?’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Esme has to live off something.’ John limped back to his chair. ‘Her mother left her practically nothing.’
‘I thought you wanted to get rid of the woman. She’s screwed you for every penny she can get and more.’
‘It seems so – drastic.’
‘It is drastic,’ Mark agreed.
‘There has to be something else we can do.’
‘Nothing that I can think of.’
John recalled the venomous look on Esme’s face when she had threatened to expose Katie. Remembered what it had been like to live with her … and how it would be if she moved back into their house. But she had been his wife, even if only in name for over twenty years, the mother of his daughter …’No.’
‘You can’t be serious, John.’
‘I am.’
‘Even though Esme’s trying every foul, underhand trick to get you back?’
‘Let her try.’
‘It could get bloody.’
‘Knowing Esme, I’ve no doubt it will,’ John said philosophically. ‘But the answer’s still no. I won’t leave her destitute.’
‘Then prepare for the worst.’
‘I have been,’ John said grimly, ‘almost since the day I married her.’