‘That’s very kind of you but I’m not going to be here long,’ she answered politely as she tugged the misshapen gown back over her head. ‘So now may I please see the matron?’

‘Yer can as it happens,’ the nurse chortled as she played with the hairs that were growing out of her chin. With her thin grey hair scraped back into a straggly bun and her squinty grey eyes she really was the ugliest woman Ruby had ever seen. ‘She likes to meet all the patients when they first arrive, so foller me. But no tryin’ to run away, mind, else I’ll have yer flat on yer back afore yer can say Jack Robinson.’

Barefoot, Ruby followed her out of the washroom to the door at the top of the long corridor where the nurse had to pause to find the right key from the many that were dangling on a chain about her waist. Eventually she found it and after ushering Ruby through it she quickly locked it again and taking Ruby’s arm in a vice-like grip, she hauled her down the sweeping staircase into the hallway.

‘This is the matron’s office,’ she said as she stopped to rap on the door.

‘Come in,’ a voice answered and thrusting the door open she pushed Ruby inside.

Ruby found herself in a large room comfortably furnished with an easy chair that was placed by the window and an enormous desk behind which sat an elderly woman with a stern expression on her face. She was dressed in a navy-blue uniform which was covered with a crisp white apron and a small white cap was perched precariously on her mop of thick, greying hair which was chopped off at chin length.

‘Ruby Carter?’ she barked.

Ruby started before remembering to nod. There was something about this woman that made her blood run cold. Her eyes reminded Ruby of the dead eyes she had seen on the fish on the marble slab in the fishmonger’s; they seemed to have no life or warmth in them and Ruby’s heart sank as it came to her that she would find no ally in this woman.

‘I have had you brought here to make sure that you understand why you have been committed and what will happen to you,’ the woman told her coldly. When Ruby remained silent she raised an eyebrow and snapped impatiently, ‘Well, speak up. You have a tongue, don’t you, girl?’

Ruby’s mouth was so dry that she couldn’t utter a single word and so snatching up a form in front of her the woman began to read aloud. ‘This is the paper from Doctor Ward, who had you committed.’