The Holiday Escapes Collection. Sandra Marton

finger to make trouble. He could have a top-notch legal team assembled before I could even say the word custody.’

      ‘Oh, God, this is terrible.’

      Charlotte’s expression was wry. ‘Believe me, it gets worse.’

      ‘How can it get any worse?’

      ‘He wants to see me.’

      ‘You mean like on a date or something?’ Caroline asked, then as realisation dawned she added, ‘Oh, my God! You went out with him the other night!’

      ‘I had to, Caroline,’ she said. ‘He practically blackmailed me into it. He knew it was my sister who took his wallet and threatened to press charges if I didn’t agree to see him.’

      ‘You should have told me.’

      ‘I’m sorry…I wanted to but I was so upset I couldn’t think straight. I thought it best to keep things as quiet as possible. I thought I could handle it better that way, but now…’

      ‘Now?’ Caroline probed.

      Charlotte checked on the girls before she turned to look back at her friend. ‘Damon wants us to spend some time together, as friends.’

      ‘Yeah, well, didn’t anyone ever tell you that you can’t truly be friends with an ex?’ Caroline said. ‘There are always issues, the biggest one, of course, being sex.’

      ‘I know and I don’t believe him for a moment but I thought if I spent some time with him I might be able to somehow build up enough courage to tell him about Emily. I need to establish trust between us. He still thinks I’m guilty of theft and Stacey certainly hasn’t helped my cause, but if I can show him I’m worthy of his trust he might not be so angry when he finds out he has a child.’

      ‘You’re going to have to work damned hard to build enough of a bond between you now to deliver that sort of bombshell.’

      ‘I know…’ Charlotte felt her stomach quake at the thought.

      ‘But I guess if he fell in love with you, you might be in with a slim chance,’ Caroline mused.

      ‘I’m not sure what he feels but I do know he wants to resume our affair. He’s been very up front about that.’

      ‘What about you? Do you still have feelings for him?’

      Charlotte looked back at her little daughter and sighed. ‘I think I hated him for several months after I left Santorini, especially when he stubbornly refused to acknowledge my attempts to contact him. But as soon as Emily was born I’ve thought about him every day since. I look into her eyes and I see him. And now that I’ve met him again it’s made me realise I’ve been in denial about my feelings all this time. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped loving him, not for a moment.’

      ‘Then you’d better get him to fall in love with you again and fast,’ Caroline advised. ‘Otherwise you stand to lose not just your heart but your daughter as well.’

      ‘Can’t I come wif you, Mummy?’ Emily asked as Charlotte prepared to leave Caroline’s house on Monday evening to meet Damon. ‘Please? I’ll be berry good.’

      ‘No, not this time, darling.’ She bent down to her daughter’s level and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘You and Janie need an early night.’

      ‘But I’m not tired.’ Emily pouted at her.

      Charlotte brushed a fingertip underneath her little daughter’s dark-as-night eyes. ‘You’ve got shadows bigger than saucers under here.’

      ‘But I miss you.’

      Charlotte felt her heart contract. ‘I know, baby, but I have to see a special person tonight.’

      ‘Who?’ Emily’s thumb crept up to her mouth. ‘Auntie Stacey?’

      ‘No…someone I knew a long time ago.’

      ‘Is it my daddy?’

      Charlotte stared at her daughter speechlessly. How on earth had she guessed?

      ‘I want to see him too,’ Emily said. ‘Janie sees her daddy lots and lots and he gives her presents and everyfing.’

      ‘I know but Janie’s daddy lives nearby. Your daddy lives in another country.’

      ‘Why doesn’t he send me a present?’

      ‘Your mummy is going to be late.’ Caroline came to her rescue as she wandered past with an armful of folded towels. ‘How about you and Janie have a nice warm bath with lots of bubbles?’

      Emily’s face brightened as she followed Caroline down the hall. ‘How many bubbles?’

      ‘Oh, gosh, trillions and trillions.’

      Charlotte gave her friend a grateful smile. ‘I’ll pick up the girls tomorrow from crèche.’

      ‘Have a good time and don’t forget to wear something outrageously sexy,’ Caroline said with a little wink as she shouldered open the bathroom door.

      As soon as Charlotte opened the door of her flat she knew her sister was inside.

      ‘OK,’ she said, shutting the door with a snap. ‘Come and face the music. You’ve really done it this time. I swear to God, Stacey, I could throttle you.’

      Stacey slunk out from the bathroom, her hollow face and darkly shadowed eyes sending a shockwave of concern through Charlotte in spite of her bristling anger.

      ‘I’m in trouble…’

      ‘Damn right you are,’ Charlotte said, pushing her concern aside. ‘How could you do that to me? Stealing from your own sister, for God’s sake! How can you do this after what Dad put us all through? Mum gave up all hope because of what he did and now you’re doing the very same thing!’

      ‘There are people after me.’

      ‘I assume you mean the police?’

      ‘No…’ Stacey folded her stick-thin arms across her sunken chest. ‘I owe money to some people…a lot of money. I paid back what I could—that’s why I transferred the funds from your account into mine. I’m sorry, but I had no choice. I’m frightened, Charlie. If I don’t pay it all back they’re going to come after me.’

      Charlotte swallowed against her rising fear to stiffen her resolve. ‘I can’t give you any more money. I want to help you but I don’t trust you. For all I know, this could be another ploy of yours to get your hands on more drugs.’

      ‘I don’t want any more money from you,’ Stacey said. ‘I just need to lie low for a few days. Can I stay here? Please?’

      Charlotte blew out a sigh. She knew she was going to regret it but what other choice was there? ‘All right, but you know the rules. No shooting up, no men and no smoking inside. Got that?’

      ‘I’m sorry, Charlie…about the clinic…I really wanted to go, but the dealer was making threats…’

      ‘I’m not even going to waste my time pleading with you to go. I haven’t got the money now, in any case.’

      ‘I’ll go back on a methadone programme. I promise.’

      ‘I wish I could believe you, I really do, but I haven’t got time to even listen to your empty promises. I’m meant to be meeting a friend at seven and here it is a quarter to and I’m not even dressed.’

      ‘Sorry…’ Stacey slumped to the sofa and stared down at her hands.

      Charlotte could feel her anger melting. ‘Try and get some rest and we’ll talk in the morning,’ she said gently. ‘Emily’s staying at Caroline’s. I might be late, so don’t wait up.’

      ‘Is this the same guy as the other night?’

      ‘Yes…but we’re just friends.’