‘In there.’ Jay pushed past her and flung the nearest door open.

A gust of icy air almost took Judy’s breath away as she entered the room. ‘I’ll need coal for the fire,’ she said crossly. ‘You can’t expect me to sleep here.’

‘You’ll have to make do.’ Jay backed out onto the landing. ‘I’ll let you have the candle, but I’m locking you in. I’ll let you out at dawn.’ He slammed the door and the key grated in the lock.

Judy held the candle high so that she could get a clearer picture of her prison, for that was what it felt like. Jay had her trapped in this isolated house, and there seemed to be little likelihood of escape. She spotted another candle on the mantelshelf, and she lit it from the one in her hand. The extra light was comforting, and she crossed the floor to check the window. It opened easily enough, but it was a dark night and she could not see the ground below. Shivering violently, she closed the window and drew the curtains, but the material was rotten and they fell to pieces in her hands.

The bed did not look inviting. The bare mattress was lumpy and felt damp, but by this time Judy was exhausted and she knew that there was nothing to be done until morning. A search of the cupboards revealed very little other than dead cockroaches and mouse droppings, but in an old sea chest she found a horse blanket, which was coarse and smelly, but infinitely better than nothing. Still fully dressed, she lay down on the bed and curled up beneath the rough woollen cloth. The old timbers of the house creaked and groaned, as if it too were settling down for a night’s sleep. The wind whistled through the ill-fitting windows, thrashing the branches of the trees like an irate schoolmaster. Judy closed her eyes, shutting out the world in which she had found herself. She would find a way to escape from Jay but she would think about that in the morning.

Chapter Twenty-One

Judy was up and sitting on the edge of the bed when she heard the key turn in the lock. There was no telling what sort of mood Jay might be in, and she braced herself to face whatever might happen that day.

The door opened. ‘You’re awake. Good – I want my breakfast.’ Jay stomped off and she could hear his booted feet clattering on the stairs.

Judy decided to play along with him, but at the same time she would look for a way of escape, and she followed him downstairs to the kitchen. He went to the range and began riddling the ashes, cursing loudly.

‘Here, let me do that.’ She edged him unceremoniously out of the way. ‘Is there any coal outside, or some logs?’

‘I’ll go and look. You stay here and don’t even think of trying to get away. The front door is locked and I have the key.’