‘I would be happy to move to the country, but I would prefer to remain here with you, at least for the time being.’ Annie picked up her concertina. ‘What would you like me to play for you, Aunt Margaret?’

Harry entered the small room where a surly warder had told Kate and Lady Lyndon to wait.

‘Mama, what are you doing here?’ he demanded incredulously. He turned to Kate, frowning. ‘Why did you bring her to this dreadful place?’

Lady Lyndon rose from the wooden chair, which was the only furniture in the small room and she held her hands out to her son. ‘Don’t blame Kate. I insisted on seeing you, Harry.’

‘Sit down, please, Mama.’ Harry pressed her gently back on the seat. ‘Why did you want to see me?’

‘I’m your mother,’ Lady Lyndon said calmly. ‘Of course I wanted to know that you were being well cared for.’

Harry laughed, but there was no humour in the sound. ‘This isn’t a hotel, Mama. This is a place of punishment and I knew what I was coming to when I pleaded guilty.’

Kate cleared her throat. ‘I’ve been trying to persuade your mother to move to Warren House, but she insisted on hearing it from your lips, Harry.’

‘Yes, that’s the most sensible thing to do.’ Harry nodded, raising his mother’s hand to his lips. ‘It’s too dangerous for you to remain in Finsbury Circus, at least for the time being.’

‘Monks or one of his men set your premises in Cable Street on fire.’ Kate fixed him with a searching look. ‘Ivy had a brick thrown through her window, so I’d like to take the family to Warren House, with your mama’s permission, of course.’

Harry nodded. ‘That’s very sensible. You should be there, too, Mama.’

‘I don’t want to leave my home.’ Lady Lyndon’s bottom lip trembled. ‘I don’t want to stay in the country. Warren House was the family home of the Lyndons – I never liked that place.’

‘It’s a very nice house, Mama,’ Harry said gently. ‘You’ll be very comfortable there and you’ll be safe.’

Lady Lyndon slapped his hand away. ‘I don’t like you being mixed up with evil men.’

Harry kneeled down at her side, ignoring the fact that the dirt from the floor was ruining his expensive trousers. ‘I won’t be here for much longer, but please do as I ask, Mama.’

‘But your sentence was for twelve years,’ Kate said anxiously. ‘Are you planning to escape?’

He rose to his feet, brushing the dirt from his knees. ‘In a way. I’m working with the police to bring Monks to justice. I couldn’t tell you before the trial.’

‘But what can you do from a prison cell?’ Kate met his smiling gaze with a scowl. ‘Don’t make a joke of this, it isn’t funny.’