He'd discovered a new thrill in gambling. Her father had several times had to hand over money to cover Jimmy's spiralling debts.

The only good thing to have come out of the marriage was Sonya, born while her mother was only sixteen. For her sake Lee had clung to the remnants of her broken-backed marriage, even after Jimmy had moved on to the excitement of other women.

Whatever his faults, he'd been a loving father, and when he'd been fired from his last job he'd spent all his time with his little daughter. Lee had been able to start her own career as a photographer, leaving Sonya with him while she went out to work. She prospered, and by the time her father cut off the money supply, saying, 'That's all my dear. The rest is for Mark,' Lee was able to cope alone.

At last Jimmy had moved out to live a hundred miles away with the woman who became his second wife. Sonya stayed with her mother, but paid her father long visits in the holidays.

Sonya knew nothing of the worst details. She adored Jimmy, so Lee said nothing now, and let her chatter on about eloping as though the subject didn't give her a pang.

'Couldn't we nudge him into eloping?' Sonya was saying wistfully. 'Then we'd get rid of him.'

'Darling, that's very unkind.'

'But it's a fantasy, Mum. It's all right for fantasies to be unkind because they're the safety valve for our aggressive instincts. "It's easier to treat our neighbour with charity in real life when we've just given him a satisfying come-uppance in the privacy of our minds."'

'Who said that?' Lee demanded, for Sonya's theatrical manner made it clear she'd been quoting.