Roy Thornley was Sylvia Matthews' "business associate" at Sylvia's Separates. He tried his charms on Elsie Howard, who saw through him immediately, but 19-year-old Gail Potter was taken in, and Roy took her virginity in the stockroom. Elsie forced Roy to admit to a love-struck Gail that he was indeed married to a woman about 15 years older than him, and they had two children. Worse was to follow for Gail when she was cited as co-respondent by Doreen Thornley in a divorce. Gail was sacked from Sylvia's Separates.