‘Well, all we can do is wait and see,’ Dilys said stoically. ‘But for the first time in ages I’m feeling hopeful.’

It was three days later when Dilys told her, ‘The new doctor is here. I heard the nurses saying earlier on. He’s very young and very handsome by all accounts.’

‘I wouldn’t care if he had a horn and tail as long as he helped me to get out of here,’ Ruby snorted. ‘But how will we get to see him if we are not ill or misbehaving?’

‘I suppose it’s the one time I should say it’s all right to play up,’ Dilys admitted.

Ruby nodded thoughtfully, perhaps Dilys was right.

*

‘Right, when I give you the nod,’ Dilys whispered as she and Ruby sat together at the dining table that evening waiting for their meal.

Nurse Keen was on duty so they knew they wouldn’t have to do a lot to upset her. She was always just waiting for the chance to punish them and tonight they intended to give her the opportunity. They waited until two tin dishes full of greasy-looking stew were placed in front of them then after a nod from Dilys, Ruby suddenly stood and with a roar heaved the bowl across the room. Seconds later, Dilys did the same and then all hell seemed to break loose as the rest of the inmates copied them with chortles of glee.

‘What the . . . !’ Nurse Keen glared around the room as she and the other nurses rushed forward trying to bring some sort of order. But it was no use. The patients were making the most of the break from the daily grind and were enjoying themselves enormously. Tables and chairs were sent skidding about the room and the noise was so loud that the nurses could barely make themselves heard as pandemon-ium reigned.

The nurses seized the older, weaker inmates first, dragging them protesting back to their cells before coming back to grapple the younger ones to the floor. And all the time Ruby and Dilys swooped about the room kicking anything in sight and screaming at the tops of their lungs until finally they were the only two left in there.

‘Right, back them into a corner,’ Nurse Keen growled as she and the other nurses advanced on them. Nurse Downes entered then and when she saw what was going on her hand flew to her mouth.

‘Don’t hurt her,’ she cried as Nurse Keen grabbed Ruby and twisted her arm painfully up her back.

‘Don’t hurt her!’ Nurse Keen sneered. ‘Why, she’ll wish she’d never been born afore I’ve finished wi’ her, an’ the other one. Get ’em into the bathrooms now. Happen they’re both in need of a bit o’ cooling down! The cold water treatment. That’ll soon sort ’em out.’