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‘You survived—’ ‘But she didn’t,’ Angelo incised

Don Car man She let the family down and the final insult was her belief that she had to keep her son away froainst us even more’

‘If you never saw her again, how do you know that?’ The oldShe orried about ould happen to you But she still begged one’ Angelo could see that exhaustion was steadily clai to a close ‘I appreciate your candour I would like the name of the man who stole my mother’s money’ ‘His nae envelope and extended it ‘The letters Take theelo queried ‘My mother died when I was seven years old’ ‘And now here you are, proud not to be a Zanetti or a Sorello If you are so unlike the stock from which you were bred, why do you want Hamilton’s name?’ the old elo surveyed him with dark expressionless eyes and shifted a shoulder in an al

‘Don’t do anything foolish, Angelo’ Angelo laughed out loud ‘I can’t believe you’re saying that to me’‘Who better? I’ve spent the last decade in exile I’ve been hunted across this planet by the forces of law and order and by my enemies But my time is almost up,’ Carmelo Zanetti mused ‘You are the closest relative I have left and I have watched over you all your life’‘Only not so that I noticed,’ Angelo countered, unimpressed by the claim

‘Perhaps we are cleverer than you think You may also find out that, under the skin, you have elo lifted his arrogant dark head high, strong denial of that suggestion in every inch of his proud bearing ‘No I really don’t think so’A basket of flowers on her arm, Gwenna hurried down the muddy lane in pursuit of the two little boys Thrilled by the growling noises she wasbear, Freddy and Jake were in fits of giggles With her dog, Piglet, a tiny barrel-shapedlikeof a hter Gwenna fell still and with a guilty air of reluctance dug the item out of her pocket

‘Bet it’s the Evil Witch again,’ Freddy forecast gloomily

‘Shush…’ Gwenna urged in dis the children’s mother were more careful about what she said in front of her sons because the little boys didn’t miss a trick

‘I heard Muet a man with the Evil Witch around Do you need one?’ Jake asked earnestly

‘Course she does…to have babies and change the light bulbs,’ Freddy told his little brother with immense superiority

‘Is that children I hear?’ Eva Hamilton demanded sharply ‘Have you let Joyce Miller lu the twins a pleading glance, Gwenna put a finger to her lips in the universal signal for silence and sidestepped the question ‘I’ll be with you in less than an hour—’‘Have you any idea how ht the caterers—’‘I’,’ her stepmother cut in acidly

Gwenna almost flinched for it seemed to her that the past week had passed by in a relentless blur of labour Even her back, well toned froular physical activity at the plant nursery where she worked, had developed an ache ‘Did I ain and the flowers in the drawing rooly ‘I want everything to be perfect tomorrow for your father, so you’ll have to see to it all this evening’‘Yes, of course’ Gwenna ree Eva’s buffet lunch for a handful of select guests was in aid of a very good cause First and fore day Donald Hamilton had worked tirelessly to raise the funds necessary to begin the restoration of the overgrown gardens of Massey Manor Although the ned by a leading nineteenth-century garden lue was badly in need of a tourist attraction to stimulate the local economy A host of local VIPs and the press would be present to record thepadlocked gates of the old estate so that the first phase of the work on the grounds could begin