Part of Mags wanted to smile at the hypocrisy of this, but another part of her remained afraid. Was all of this some sort of ploy? If not, why didn’t Iris know about this better side of John and appeal to it? But then Iris had only recently become aware that someone might be in Harold’s employ, and she had no proof. Iris probably didn’t trust either of them. And how was she to know that John wasn’t being paid by Harold, too?

‘Oh, come off it, John – you’re naw saint. You’re sadistic and beat the mentals more than I do. If we’re to sling mud, then I can sling me fair share.’

John sat down again. Both men were quiet for a moment, then John asked Mags, ‘You say you can pay us both. How much, and what do you want of us?’

Mags realized she had to be very clever here. The sum had to be tempting, especially to Michael, who was obviously getting a good amount from Harold.

‘What I really want is my husband brought to justice for what he has done, but that would implicate Michael, and I don’t want that. I just want to get out of here. I want to get far away and start a new life for myself. And I can pay. It would be a one-time payment to you both. Now I know as my husband has paid you well, Michael, as I heard that you had bought a motorbike, which costs around one hundred pounds. So I would pay John more, as he has missed out. Say one hundred and fifty pounds to you, Michael, and two hundred and fifty to John.’

‘Naw, I ain’t having that. I’ve taken all the risks up to now,’ Michael insisted.

‘Yes, risks to keep me here. John hasn’t done that, and neither has he treated me badly, as you have done.’

‘I reckon as that’s fair,’ John said. ‘And if you don’t go along with it, I’ll shop you anyroad, so we’ll both get nowt, and this lady will go free without our help. But if we stick together, there’s no one who can dispute your reports to date. We can just say that from now on she’s improved and we don’t think she needs sanctuary here, or any more treatment.’

‘No, that will take time. I want to get out of here next Friday, the first of July.’

‘You’re very precise, aren’t you? And how do you propose we do that?’

Mags crossed her fingers. Would the promise of the money be enough for them? John she was sure of, but not Michael, as he already had a good income and didn’t want to lose it. ‘With your help, I can escape. You could let me out of the gates during the night. No one would know.’

‘But why Friday?’

Mags felt defeated. John was much too clever for her. ‘It . . . well, it just seems a good time. I plucked it out of the air really.’