‘Come along now,’ she crossed to the girl, the beam of her torch still focused on Edie’s face, ‘what have you been up to?’

‘Had to go, Missus,’ Edie said, her eyes downcast, avoiding the white woman’s gaze. ‘Had to go toilet.’

‘You should have gone earlier,’ the nurse reprimanded, ‘you know that, don’t you. You should have gone before it was dark.’

‘Yeh.’ Edie shuffled her feet nervously, eyes still fixed on the floor, or where the floor would be if she could see it. The dazzle of torchlight rendered everything black. ‘Yeh, yeh, I know that.’

Jill Delaney could see that the girl was shaken. Something’s happened, she thought. ‘What is it, Edie? What’s wrong?’

‘Nothin’, Missus. Honest. Nothin’.’ Edie looked up, an earnest plea in her eyes. ‘I shoulda gone earlier, that’s all. Got caught out. All my fault. I know I done wrong.’

‘It’s all right, Edie, it’s all right.’ The nurse lowered the torch. ‘You won’t be punished.’ She directed the beam of light towards the dormitory door. ‘Go to bed now, there’s a good girl.’

Edie obediently headed for the door, breathing a huge inward sigh of relief. She’d been so sure she was in trouble. Crikey, if they knew what happened out there I would be, she told herself.

Jill Delaney watched as the door quietly closed, and when it had, she stood for a moment or so in the dark. It’s him, she thought. He’s been at it again, the filthy, bloody animal. She knew the guard. A regular rapist, he kept a lookout for any new young arrival who might take his fancy, biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Just the once, no repeat offence with the same girl. How she wished she could catch him in the act, but she never had. He was too cunning. And if she were to confront him with no proof he would naturally deny it. The only thing she had to go on was her own knowledge of these women for whom she cared; the furtive, fearful looks on their faces when they were in his presence – he of course ignoring them altogether – hardly evidence. And the truly wrongful part is, she thought, he’s not the only guilty party. Rapes are not uncommon here. Any number of white men on Palm Island seem to think that the women under their care are fair game. It’s sickening.

Jill Delaney felt personally responsible. She tried always to keep the young ones in view, particularly the new arrivals, but she’d let Edie down. She was very, very sorry about that.

She was even sorrier several months later when Edie was found to be well and truly pregnant. The poor, unfortunate girl, Jill Delaney thought. How unlucky could she be!