‘Ta, Doctor. But I can’t get it out of me head that Bill weren’t sure of me. It’s eating away at me.’

‘Poor Bill. I can understand him. I know it’s not what you ladies want to hear, but it is a fact that rape isn’t widely believed. He felt the shame of it. But then with you finding you were pregnant, it must have been a blow too far.’

Betsy felt as if her heart was being sliced in two, such was the pain inside her. A tear ran unbidden down her cheek. She thought she’d shed all the tears her body could produce, but now she wanted to scream and scream. She needed release from the shackles that held her. Would she ever get it? Please God that I do.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Mags stood on the pavement outside the gates of Brockhall Institution. Ripples of fear clenched her stomach. ‘You won’t leave me, will you, David? Not even for a second – promise me.’

‘I promise. Even if you need to relieve yourself, I will come with you and stand outside the door.’

This made her smile. ‘Well, not that close.’ They both laughed, and Mags felt better.

Someone calling her name got Mags turning her head. ‘Iris! Oh, I’m so glad to see you. Are you all right? You don’t . . . Please tell me you don’t still work here.’

‘Naw, I’ve left. It’s been a week now, but one of me ex-workmates who lives near to me told me that you were booked in, so I wanted to come and see you. Eeh, you don’t knaw what you’ve done for me, Mags. I feel free.’

‘Was everything all right when . . . well, you know, with my escape?’

‘Yes, Michael and I went on the sick, so there was no one here who could know you were missing. John said it took three days to find out.’

‘Really? And there I was, terrified someone would jump out at me.’

‘Well, I’m glad as you’re going to get your proper discharge, then you won’t have to keep looking over your shoulder. But, lass, you don’t look well.’

‘I’m all right. Did you hear what happened to Betsy?’

‘Naw.’

Iris was shocked, as Mags had expected.

‘Eeh, poor Betsy, I’ll call on her. If I’d known, I would have been there yesterday. Will you tell her that?’

‘We will, but may I caution you about calling on her, Iris.’

‘Oh? Why’s that, Doctor?’

‘Well, she’s already been threatened by Roford, and he’s looking for someone to blame for Mags’s escape. He wants his revenge – he’s that type of man.’

Mags told Iris what had happened after the funeral.

‘Eeh, he wants locking up, that one. I’ve never known the like. And I’m wary of Michael an’ all, so be careful if he tries to speak to you. He transferred to daytime duty recently, which is strange for him. John’s all right. I mean, he has his ways, but what you see is what you get, with John. You knaw where you are with him.’