The Tangling of the Web by Millie Gray Page A

Josie was becoming quite hysterical and required comforting. Going over to her, Flora took her in her arms. ‘There, there,’ she murmured while gently stroking her back. Agonising minutes elapsed before Flora had Josie suitably composed. Holding on to each other, both women looked for Sally, but she was nowhere to be seen.
    Fearing that she had returned to the main house to inflict a fatal injury on Harry, they now sped back up the stairs into the living room only to find Sally’s coat and handbag were gone, as was Harry.

    Scampering like a scared rabbit, Sally emerged into Easter Road when, as luck would have it, a taxi drew up to let a passenger alight. Before the driver could put up his flag to signal he was for hire, Sally was in the back of the cab. ‘Albyn Rooms in Queen Street, driver,’ Sally instructed before she was asked for a destination.
    ‘Sure they’ll have been locked up for hours.’
    ‘I’m not really going to the rooms. You see, I’ve been invited by the owner to her penthouse flat for a meeting.’
    The driver found the explanation about a meeting at four o’clock in the morning a bit odd, but he pushed down the flag and drove off in the direction of Queen Street.
    Having settled up with the taxi driver, Sally alighted from the taxi and she was just about to ring the bell when the door opened and a suave, debonair, titled gentleman who she recognised stepped out. Lifting his Anthony Eden hat to Sally, he said, ‘Lovely morning. Sun will soon be up, but not, I fear, dear Ginny if it is she you wish to visit.’
    Making no comment, Sally crossed over the threshold and without an invitation she ran up the stairs and barged into the flat and then the master bedroom.
    The banging of the door off the wall startled Ginny and she sprang up into a sitting position. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten something, Billy boy,’ she asked whilst drawing the bedcovers further up over herself. ‘I did warn you that I am happy to have you share a nightcap with me, but I never – ever – share my bed with any married man.’
    ‘That right?’ Sally sarcastically responded.
    Ginny arose from the bed. ‘Thought I might get a visit from you,’ she said, lifting her dressing gown and enveloping herself in it before looking at the clock, ‘but not at this unearthly hour.
    ‘So the louse has told you,’ she said as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
    ‘If you mean he’s announced he’s about to leave me and sell my home from under my feet so that he can come to you with the necessary collateral, then …’
    Uncontrollable laughter from Ginny stopped Sally from going on.
    ‘So you think it’s funny gutting another woman, do you?’
    ‘No, Sally, I don’t. And as to Harry … Well, he may be able to warble a good tune but not dulcet enough for me. You see, I do not wish to offend you, but I wouldn’t have an affair with your husband – he’s on the slide now and the next ring that goes on my finger will come along with pots of dough and maybe, not necessarily though, a title thrown in. Lady Ginny has a nice ring to it. Wouldn’t you say?’
    Sally couldn’t say anything. Had she got it wrong again? Feeling quite faint, she slumped down on the bed beside Ginny. ‘But you were the one who grabbed him for the second dance and you knew he was coming for me. Do you realise how humiliated I felt when you did that?’
    ‘Believe me, if I’d let him take up that conniving cow … Humiliation – that can be coped with. But what both of them had planned for you was for the whole assembly to see you crushed and beaten.’ Shaking her head, Ginny then put her hand over Sally’s. ‘You had no idea?’
    Drained Sally could only shake her head.
    ‘Didn’t you see what was going on under your nose?’ Ginny continued.
    ‘No. And even now I haven’t got a clue. I just know he’s leaving me for someone I counted as … a friend.’
    ‘Then think. Really think. Who was there?’
    ‘You, Josie,