She turned accusing eyes to her daughter-in-law. ‘Where were you, Annette?’ she said. ‘Playing in the fields with the hired help, again?’ Miriam felt bitter. She’d had a good idea what Annette had been up to with Carlos, but had kept quiet, hoping it would run its course. Now she was disgusted; not only had she turned a blind eye, but the wife of her beloved son had been with a farm hand while Marias had been crushed under a tractor, and he was now fighting for his life.

Marias didn’t wake up; he got an infection in his remaining leg, which led to gangrene, and that, too, had to be amputated. A month later, despite the doctors doing everything they could to save him, he died.

Annette was secretly pleased; she hadn’t wanted to play nursemaid to her crippled husband. She knew Miriam would have forced her to look after Marias, out of guilt, if not out of love.

Annette had loved Marias in her own way, but they had just been so different in their outlook to life. Marias had enjoyed a quiet family life, which was what he was used to, whereas Annette wanted fun and excitement.

Annette decided she was not going to be a widow for the rest of her life. She started making plans with Carlos, and shortly after Marias’s funeral she approached Miriam.

‘I’ve decided to go back to my family in England, Miriam. There is nothing for me here now. I need a fresh start; this place has too many memories,’ she had said, then put her hands to her face and started to cry. The tears were not for Marias, they were for herself.

Annette was wearing black again, and would be expected to visit that little church in the vineyard grounds, that Miriam loved so much, and pray for Marias. She had tried to play on Miriam’s sympathy, but it wasn’t working.

‘I understand, Annette,’ said Miriam, for the first time seeing her cold-hearted daughter-in-law for what she truly was. She had only ever wanted Marias’s money, and didn’t care for anyone but herself. ‘While you’re getting yourself sorted out back in England, why don’t you leave little Antonias here?’ She had just lost her son, she didn’t want to lose her grandson, as well.

Annette ignored the question about Antonias; she knew he was all Miriam cared about now. ‘I’ll need money,’ she said, ‘to find us both somewhere to live. Did Marias make a will or some sort of arrangement for us?’ She knew Miriam didn’t give a fig about her. As far as her mother-in-law was concerned, Annette could leave without a penny. That wasn’t going to happen, however, and so she persisted. ‘Can I have my share of the vineyard? Surely, I am entitled to something.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Actually, I don’t want the vineyard, just Marias’s money. I am his widow, after all, and I have our son to look after. Antonias, at least, has a share in all of this.’

Annette was pushing the subject hard, now.

Miriam nodded. Now she understood. Annette was prepared to sell Antonias to her, he was her bargaining tool.

Annette knew that if she let the boy stay, should she ever need any more money, she could blackmail Miriam – all she’d have to do would be to get in touch and let her know she was going to take Antonias away from her, and she would pay. Stupid old woman.

‘How much do you think you would need, Annette?’ said Miriam. Her voice was calm, although she was sick to her stomach. She knew Annette’s intentions were not honourable. If she had been truly grief-stricken and wanting to go home, Miriam would have understood, but she felt this was more to do with Carlos than Antonias.

Both women knew exactly what they were talking about, although neither of them would say the words: Annette would leave Antonias behind for a price.

‘Fifty thousand of your English pounds, Annette, is the best I can do for you now. Later, depending on how much your home costs and what your expenses come to, we will talk again.’ Miriam took out her cheque book and wrote out the cheque.

Annette was disgusted; that wasn’t enough. There was Marias’s share and Antonias’s, too, and this old bitch thought 50,000 would cover that? More to the point, was that all she thought Antonias was worth?

Annette smiled to herself. No way, thought Annette; she would take the money and Antonias.

During the night, when everyone was in bed, Annette had gone into the room where the safe was kept. She had watched Marias take money out of it many times and, without him realising, she had noted the key code number. There was the equivalent of 10,000 pounds in the safe; it was the wages for the workers and the petty cash. She took it all out and stuffed everything into a holdall.

That done, she had gone into the bedroom where Antonias was sleeping, taken him from his bed and disappeared into the night.

‘Take him, Carlos, he’s heavy.’ Annette was breathing heavily.

Carlos was not happy that the spoilt brat, Antonias, was going with them. That was certainly not what he had planned. He had tried talking Annette into leaving him behind and she’d agreed.

‘Why have you brought the boy?’ Carlos whispered. ‘Wouldn’t Miriam give you the money?’

‘I got it, and more,’ said Annette, trying to appease him. ‘Look.’ Annette opened the holdall and showed him the cash she had taken from the safe; she was pleased when she saw Carlos smile.

He laid Antonias in the back seat of the truck, kissed Annette, then they jumped in the front and drove off into the night.

Annette lay her head back on the seat and smiled. This was the beginning of her new life. She was with Carlos, who had told her many times how much he loved her, and she loved him.

She had paid that bitch Miriam back for her greed and the inconsideration shown for her needs. She was glad to see the back of the place. This was going to be a whole new adventure.

She would be back in London, where she belonged. Annette laughed to herself. She would love to be a fly on the wall when Miriam discovered that she had gone and taken Antonias with her.

Miriam was being served breakfast by one of the maids. She was surprised that little Antonias wasn’t up yet. He always ate breakfast with her and Fredo, and then went to church with his nonna and sat beside her while she prayed. Little sleepyhead, where was he?

‘Please go and see if Antonias is awake yet,’ she said to the maid.

The maid returned after just a few minutes. She was almost too frightened to tell Miriam what she’d found.

‘Well?’ said Miriam, when the woman remained silent.

‘He’s… he’s not there, Mrs Lambrianu,’ she said. ‘His bed has been slept in, but he’s not there, and he isn’t with Mistress Annette, either. Her bed is empty, too.’

Miriam and Fredo looked across the breakfast table at each other. Fredo lowered his newspaper and watched his wife jump out of her seat and run upstairs.

The maid was right; Antonias wasn’t there. Miriam opened the wardrobes; his clothes were still there, but he wasn’t. She ran into Annette’s bedroom. Her clothes were still there, too, but Miriam noticed that her jewellery box was empty and had been tossed aside.

Instinctively, Miriam knew exactly what Annette had done. She had gone, and she had taken Antonias with her!

Miriam went downstairs and was informed by Fredo that the safe was empty. She had taken everything.

Against Fredo’s wishes, Miriam telephoned the police, desperate to find Annette and her beloved Antonias. She instructed the maid to ring the large bell outside, to gather as many of the workers as possible to search the land, just in case they were both out there, somewhere.

Although Miriam feared it was fruitless, she also reckoned anything was worth a try. She was desperate and panic-stricken. More to the point, Annette had double-crossed her!

Miriam vowed she would find Antonias and bring him home, where he belonged, no matter how long it took.

The police informed Miriam and Fredo that, apart from the money being stolen from the safe, no crime had been committed. Antonias was Annette’s son, and she could do as she pleased where he was concerned. Miriam didn’t tell them about the other money she had given Annette.

The police said they would look for her and arrest her for the theft of the money from the safe, but that was all they could do when they found her.

Fredo spoke up, then, and insisted he wouldn’t have Annette arrested for the theft. All they wanted was to know that she and Antonias were safe.

He blamed Miriam as much as he did Annette for entering into this tug of war, fighting and using his grandson as they had. He thought that after Annette returned home, she would write to them and inform them of her and Antonias’s whereabouts.

He wanted to keep the peace; any contact with his grandson was better than none, and Miriam threatening Annette with the police wasn’t going to make her come back.

Miriam was hot-tempered and acted in haste, whereas Fredo was a mild-mannered man who didn’t want to frighten Annette. She had just lost her husband; she wasn’t thinking straight.

He assured Miriam that after Annette and Antonias had had a break from everything, they would come back. After all, they only had the money from the safe, and that wasn’t going to last forever.

Fredo didn’t know that Miriam had given Annette money on the understanding she would let Antonias stay with them. He would have been angry if he had known she was prepared to buy her own grandson.

For now, Miriam had to admit defeat. She checked the mail every day, in the hope that there would be some news, but none came.