What Rose found unnerving was that all the labour was done in complete silence. It was like being in a Trappist monastery.

She was also taken to a room where the triangles were. Prisoners were strapped to these triangles and either birched or lashed with the cat-o’-nine-tails. The cat-o’-nine-tails was kept in a drawer. The governor lifted it out for Rose to examine. ‘Doesn’t look much, but it can inflict some damage.’

Rose repressed a shudder and suggested they return to Harry.

He was just closing the books when they entered the governor’s barrack-like office.

As he and Rose got into the Rolls, he said, ‘Jeremy Tremaine visited the prison on six occasions in the months before his sister’s death. One of the prisoners he visited was Reg Bolton.’

‘I wonder what Jeremy will say when we ask him?’

‘We? I thought of going myself with Becket tomorrow.’

‘You must take me with you! It was my idea.’

‘I suppose your parents will agree if we take Becket and Daisy.’

* * *

Lady Polly was in a fury when they got back, demanding to know where they had gone, Rose without either her maid or companion. Rose took Harry’s arm and smiled up at him. ‘Only for a little drive,’ she said. ‘We wanted to be alone.’

Harry’s heart gave a lurch and then he realized that, of course, she was acting.

Nonetheless, it took a great deal of persuading to get permission to go ‘for a little drive’ with Harry the following day with just Becket and Daisy as chaperones.

But Lady Polly finally melted. She saw the way Rose smiled up at the captain and was sure her wayward daughter was in love at last.

They all set out the following morning in high spirits that even the damp mist clouding the day could not dim.

Daisy had won too much at cards to be angry with Rose for not having told her about Jeremy.

When they turned down Oxford High, the mist was hiding the spires and pinnacles of the colleges, and even the top of Carfax Tower was lost to view.

Daisy and Becket were told to stay in the car while Rose and Harry made their way up the shallow stone steps to Jeremy’s rooms.

‘We’re in luck,’ said Harry. ‘He’s not sporting his oak.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘These are double doors. If the outer door is closed, that’s called sporting the oak and it means you’re either out or do not want visitors.’

Harry knocked and a faint voice called, ‘Enter.’

Harry held open the door for Rose and followed her in. Jeremy was dressed in gown and mortar board.

‘What do you want?’ he demanded harshly. ‘I was just going out.’

‘You visited a certain Reg Bolton in Wormwood Scrubs on several occasions just before his release. He is the man who tried twice to kill Lady Rose.’

‘I visited him along with other prisoners. I was doing my duty, bringing Christian hope to the suffering.’