‘Oh no! I will telephone Daddy’s solicitors. I know they won’t divulge anything and will continue with my plan; they know that money was to safeguard me, should anything such as this happen.’

‘But, my dear, the solicitor cannot work outside the law. He will be struck off. Harold would see to that.’

Mags’s mind went into panic mode. All sorts of scenarios played out in her head. She was worried about Betsy’s safety, as David had already told her about the threat to Betsy. And then there was the orderly, Michael. Would he tell all, under pressure from Harold? If so, would Iris be safe?

‘Oh, David, I am so worried now. What can I do? Where will I live, if Harold takes my house in Portpatrick, too? And what will I live on?’

‘Does Harold know who your father’s solicitors were?’

‘No, I don’t think so. They didn’t do anything at all concerning the business. There is a separate firm of solicitors for that purpose. These solicitors were kept for private family matters. But no, that’s silly – Harold must know. All Daddy’s papers are in the house, in his desk, and if there was a Will-reading, his solicitors would have been the ones to do that. But will they have to disclose everything? Daddy promised me that he didn’t keep anything to do with my estate in the house, and neither did I; all of it was kept with the solicitors.’

‘Try not to worry, Mags. I’ll do all I can tomorrow. I was going to go fishing, but this clandestine work is much more exciting – if concerning. I will go to Dr Jenkins with our full story. I’ll see if I can persuade him to discharge you properly, as being sound in mind. I’ve gained his confidence, and he is a little intimidated by me, and how I know of his lack of care of the other patients in the asylum. When he is faced with the facts – and we have witnesses now to Michael being paid to falsify your reports – we might just win the day. Keep strong. We will come through this. Or if we don’t, it won’t be for lack of trying.’

When they said their goodbyes, Mags did feel worried, very worried. She knew Harold’s capabilities, although she had never thought he would use such violence on a woman. It incensed her to think that nothing would be done about his attack on Susan.

She looked over to where Montel sat, with Sibbie on his knee. The child was fast asleep.

‘Mags, pleaze, you must not look so worried. It iz that I only heard half of that conversation, but you will always have somewhere to live. You can move in wiz me. There iz Susan’s room. I will sleep on the sofa, az I always did when Susan waz home. I haven’t much, but I do earn a little from my work. I paint many portraits of zee wives, and sometimes zee girlfriends, of those who have zee money to pay. But sometimes I sell some of my own paintings. I get by. There is a community of us artists, and we help each other; if it iz that one has nothing, then zee others chip in and help.’