She was here.
Her head lifted. Their eyes met and held. Slowly she stood up, walked down a step or two. He dropped the bags and she almost fell into his arms.
‘Jesus, Bianca…’ he moaned, and kissed her over and over again. Feverishly, she responded. Nothing was said for long moments, then Kit eased her away from him. ‘Where have you been?’ he demanded.
‘Oh – here and there,’ she said, with a small sad smile.
‘You just left. Vanished without a fucking word.’
‘I had to think. I had to be alone for a while.’
‘Are you all right, you crazy cow?’
‘I’m fine. I needed to think about everything. I was… confused.’
Kit nodded slowly. Of course the poor little bitch had been confused. Her world had been thrown into chaos.
‘I thought I might have some real family out there, somewhere,’ she said. ‘That I might be able to find them. But I can’t remember them. I’ve tried, so hard. But I can’t. How am I ever going to know if I can’t remember anything?’
‘You haven’t been to see…’ He’d been about to say your mother. But Bella Danieri wasn’t Bianca’s mother. As for her real family – who knew?
‘I haven’t seen her,’ said Bianca.
Kit was silent.
‘I hate her,’ said Bianca. ‘I hate them all. They snatched my past away. Robbed me of everything. Lied to me.’
‘Even Tito?’ asked Kit.
‘Yes. Even him.’ Her eyes were hard. ‘Him more than any of them. You know Fabio’s in charge now?’
It was cold out here and the drizzle was starting to turn to sleet.
‘Now Vittore’s out of the way? Yeah. I know. What will you do?’ he asked her.
‘Tito taught me to be camorristi,’ said Bianca. ‘That’s what I am. Fabio’s going to hear about it.’
Kit stared at her. ‘I’ll help. If you want.’
Bianca’s eyes softened as they looked into his. ‘I want that very much,’ she said, and they kissed again, standing there in the pouring rain, neither one of them caring in the least that they were getting wet.
EPILOGUE
Ruby was crossing the hall at the Marlow house when the newspaper came through the front door. She went over and picked it up, and took it through to the kitchen. Pouring coffee from the cafetière into a mug, aware of happy chattering coming from upstairs where Daisy and Jody were getting the twins up and ready for the day, she thumbed through, glancing at the headlines, not paying anything very close attention. And then she saw it.
Tragic Accident
The bodies of Lord Anthony and Lady Violet Albermarle were discovered yesterday evening in the lake at Albermarle House. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed that they were fishing from a small boat and that it overturned and both sadly drowned.
Ruby sat there for a long time, her heart pounding as she stared at the newspaper.
Oh, Kit, you had to make someone pay, didn’t you, she thought.
Then she heard Daisy, a gurgling baby in her arms, coming down the stairs. She closed the paper and slipped it quickly into the bin. She’d lost her oldest and dearest friend, but she knew that she wouldn’t be shedding any tears.
Not now.
Not ever.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To all those who have helped me along the way to this book, thank you. Special mentions go to Steve and Lynne Ottaway, Sue Kemish, Louise Marley and Karen and Paul, all good friends and supporters.
Big love and hugs to everyone on the Pan Macmillan team, particularly my fabulous editor Wayne Brookes, PR supergirl Katie James and Creative Director Geoff Duffield. Thanks too to my agent Jane Gregory.
For information on the Naples Camorra, I am grateful to Tom Behan for his excellent See Naples and Die – The Camorra and Organised Crime.
The release of Roy Orbison’s album I’m Still In Love With You has been listed as 1974, 1975 and 1976, so I’ve employed a little artistic licence and taken it as 1974.
For information about the London underworld, thanks to all my usual sources. You know who you are.
About the Author
Jessie Keane was born rich. Then the family business went bust and she was left poor and struggling in dead-end jobs, so she knows both ends of the spectrum and tells it straight. Her fascination with London and the underworld led her to write the No.1 Heatseeker Dirty Game, followed by bestsellers Black Widow, Scarlet Women, Jail Bird, The Make, Playing Dead, Nameless and Ruthless. She now lives in Hampshire. You can reach Jessie on her website www.jessiekeane.com.
