Songbird. Josephine Cox

mine, which it most definitely is not, you and I both know I would never admit to it.’

      ‘Tell me why not.’ Hurt and angry, she stood up to him. ‘I need an explanation. You owe me that much.’

      ‘I don’t owe you anything! The hard truth is, you’ve had your fun and now it’s over. It wouldn’t bother me if I never clapped eyes on you again. What would I want with you anyway? Like I said – you’ve had your day. It’s time to move over for someone more talented.’

      Maddy understood his thinking. By ‘talented’, he meant young and pliable.

      She stood her ground. ‘You can try every which way you like to get out of it, but in the end I promise, you’ll be made to face the consequences. You know as well as I do, I never loved anyone but you. And now, you want rid of me. All right, that’s your choice.’

      Looking him straight in the eye, she calmly warned him, ‘I also have a choice, so understand this: whatever happens between the two of us, I will not let our child grow up without knowing who their father is.’

      The smile slid from his face. ‘Are you threatening me?’

      Unflinching beneath his hostile gaze, she promised, ‘I’ll do whatever it takes, to give our child a name. I’ll make sure it’s common knowledge that you’re the father, and that through no fault of ours, you’ve washed your hands of us.’

      She smiled at the look of disbelief on his face. ‘You wouldn’t like that, would you, eh? The great Steve Drayton – no one ever got one over on him, did they? But I give you my word, I’ll fight tooth and nail, until you’re made to admit that you’re our baby’s father. I’ll make you take your responsibilities seriously, you see if I don’t!’

      No sooner had she finished issuing the warning than she felt the full force of his fist, and when her lip split open and the blood spattered over his hands, he was like a madman.

      ‘Bitch!’ Ripping at her new dress, he tore it from neck to waist, leaving her desperately clutching the remnants with both hands. ‘I’ve seen off more threats and danger than you could ever imagine. So don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll come out on top, lady, because you won’t.’

      Holding her trapped with one hand, he fished into her evening bag, drew out the keys to the flat and thrust them into his pocket. ‘You won’t be needing these again.’

      When she struggled to get away, he held her there. ‘I swear to God, if you show your face here again, or try to get in touch with me, I’ll have you done away with. Make no mistake, I will do it!’ Taking her by the arm, he dragged her through the door and down the back stairway; halfway down, with one great heave, he sent her careering down the remaining steps.

      Then, coming down the steps two at a time, he went after

      her, grabbed her by the neck and threw her out onto the back alley, tossing her handbag after her. Wiping his hands together as though ridding himself of something dirty, he warned her, ‘If you bother me again, I won’t hesitate to have you and the kid set in concrete. Do you hear what I’m saying?’ When she didn’t answer, he raised his foot and kicked her in the groin. ‘DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID!’

      With her lip swelling, and her body bruised and battered, she could only nod, which thankfully was enough to appease him.

      And then he was gone; only at the top of the stairs did he momentarily turn, to look down on the fallen woman with contempt.

      Through tears of shame, Maddy watched him go, and for a moment she felt nothing, no hatred or desire for revenge; all the love she once felt for him was as though it had never been.

      After a while, she levered herself up and felt her way along the wall, managing to stumble a short distance. Just when she was beginning to believe she might make it to safety, the wall caved into a doorway; she fell inside, and for a moment she feared as though she might never be able to get up. Faintly, she could hear the sound of a Latin beat coming through the wall, as the club carried on with its usual Saturday-night party mood. But for Madeleine Delaney, the party was well and truly over.

      When she made an effort to stand, her legs crumpled beneath her. ‘Alice!’ Twice she sobbed out her friend’s name, before her senses began to fade.

      Yet somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind, she drew strength from the knowledge that Alice was never far away.