‘I trust, Mrs Godfrey, that you have equipped your daughter with something more appropriate in the way of footwear than – those?’

At her side Kate felt her mother almost bristle with indignation. ‘Naturally, Miss Denham, I have – equipped – her with every item on the list of requirements ya gave me.’ Esther Godfrey was standing stiffly before the woman and staring fearlessly up at her. In that moment Kate was fiercely proud of her mother until she remembered that it was her mother’s fault that they were here in the first place!

Miss Denham pulled a bell-rope and before the tassel on the cord had stopped swinging the little maid appeared in the doorway.

‘Say goodbye to your mother, Katharine, and go with Mary.’

Kate gave a little gasp, turned and flung her arms around her mother, pressing her face into Esther Godfrey’s bosom. ‘Mam, dun’t go. Not yet.’

Her mother’s arms came tightly around her. She rested her cheek against Kate’s hair. ‘Oh, Kate,’ she whispered. ‘You’ll be all right, really you will. Write to us . . .’ For an instant there was a slight tremor in Esther’s voice, as if suddenly she had doubts herself.

‘Mrs Godfrey,’ Miss Denham’s manly voice cut in, ‘you are not helping the child.’

Kate lifted her head and looked up into her mother’s eyes; eyes that were troubled now. ‘Mam, please don’t leave me here . . .’

‘Katharine!’ Miss Denham barked, so that Kate jumped physically. ‘Control yourself. We do not condone such emotional behaviour here. Now,’ the voice quietened a little, ‘I repeat, say goodbye to your mother, and pray conduct yourself with a little more decorum.’

Kate was so shocked that before she really realized what was happening she was being kissed on the cheek by her mother and then ushered out of the door by Mary, who shut the study door with a heavy thud of finality.

‘This way, Miss.’

There was nothing Kate could do but follow obediently.

*

The three pairs of inquisitive eyes were staring at her again, this time much closer.

Kate was sitting on a high bed and the three girls were ringed around the end just staring at her.

The long room, with a high ceiling, had five beds down each side. Beside each bed were a small chest of drawers and a narrow wardrobe. There were windows at the end of the room but set so high up in the wall it was impossible to see out of them. They were barred and the little of the glass that could be seen was opaque with grime on the outside so that not even the sky was visible. The floor was bare of any carpet or rugs and was so highly polished that it squeaked under Kate’s boots when she walked on it.

‘What’s your name?’ one of the watchers asked at last.