‘Hush, little baby, don’t say a word…’ Pressing a kiss to Evie’s forehead, Jade lowered her gently into her cot. ‘Mummy will be back soon, my sweet Angel,’ she said, caressing her peachy cheek as she smiled down at her.

She really was a content little baby, Jade thought, which was thanks to her calming influence in a sea of madness, obviously. She really did despair. If she phoned social services herself, she’d bet they’d whisk the children away from their demented mother in a flash. But she couldn’t do that, of course. The vicious cow would no doubt hurl accusations at Mark, making him out to be anything but the good, loving, patient father that he was, and he would be denied access to them too. But not to worry: Melissa was almost at breaking point. Jade almost felt sorry for her.

Humming, she made her way downstairs, reaching into her pocket for the credit card she’d slipped from Mark’s jacket during the pandemonium. Now then… which sites to browse, she wondered. Nothing extreme, she’d decided. She didn’t want Mark to get into serious trouble. They would have to be sites with sexually graphic images though, where she would purchase certain goods used in the pursuit of certain pleasures – or rather Mark would, before saving the sites to his bookmarks. Melissa would be bound to go apoplectic, undoubtedly leave or demand that Mark did. Undoubtedly also, Mark would refuse to leave without his children. At which point, Jade would step valiantly but reluctantly in to help him remove them to a safe place. Or one of them, at least, depending on the evening’s outcome.

Mark could save himself all the hassle if only he’d intervene and have his mental wife sectioned. In time he would see it was the only kind thing to do, for her own and everyone else’s safety. Meanwhile, though, Jade had no choice but to ramp up her efforts, even if she did have to manufacture the proof that Mark found his needy wife about as exciting as cold tapioca.

Collecting Mark’s laptop from the hall, Jade extracted the luxury bar of chocolate from her handbag, peeling back the enticingly shiny wrapper and settling down at the kitchen island to browse at leisure. Mark and Melissa would be ages at the hospital, which gave her plenty of time.

Popping a chunk of chocolate in her mouth, Jade sucked slowly. Mmm. It really was as delicious as she’d mentioned to Poppy. Hopefully, after the trauma of her collapse and hospitalisation, the brat wouldn’t remember eating it, but if it came out, then Jade would just play her part – innocent and apologetic. And of course, it had never occurred to her to imagine the thieving little brat would sneak into her bag and help herself to it.

Up bright and early the next morning, Jade hovered at the kitchen window, intending to catch the postman before Mark or Melissa came down. They weren’t likely to surface early after the dreadful night they’d had at the hospital, opting to stay by Poppy’s side.

She’d survived, probably due to Mark’s quick thinking in getting her there. Mark had rung her, as he would, to let her know they were keeping her in for observation for at least eight hours. He really was so thoughtful, assuming she’d be worried. Her blood tests had been clear, he’d also told her, which had perturbed Jade a bit. Having given his consent to Jade spiking needy Melissa’s bedtime drink once, he’d perhaps suspected Jade might have thought he was condoning it on an ongoing basis, therefore inadvertently feeding Poppy a sleeping tablet. As if she would. It was tempting. Very. But it would have been monumentally stupid, when he plainly loved Poppy, as a father should love a daughter.

Quashing a pang of jealousy twisting inside her, Jade spooned coffee into the mugs and popped a pill into Melissa’s.

She’d been hoping the chocolate might do the job. But… c’est la vie. Jade had been disappointed, naturally, but pleased for Mark, who, despite being exhausted to the point of dropping when they’d arrived home, had look so heartbreakingly relieved, Jade could have cried.

Aha, at last. Noting the postman heading for the front door, Jade took the eggs she was scrambling off the heat. She was going to feed them a hearty breakfast – and Melissa another pill – after their traumatic experience.

‘Good morning,’ she said brightly, beaming the postman a smile. He smiled delightedly back, his eyes trailing lustfully over her – as men’s eyes did – and handed her the post.

Moron, Jade thought, her smile widening nevertheless as she closed the door and looked at the envelopes, one of which contained a green document, which, if she wasn’t mistaken, was a certain speeding ticket.

Glancing quickly up the stairs, as she heard someone rising, Jade tore the envelope open, quickly scanning the contents. Oh, well done, Dylan. The man had excelled himself. Clearly, he did have a brain cell rattling around inside that dense skull of his. Jade noted the perfect location and timing of the speeding offence, which was well after she’d arrived home – courtesy of a lift to the end of the lane from ‘Call-me-Pete’ Cummings – and everyone had been tucked up in bed, apart from Mark.