‘What! How?’

‘I will need both your help and Iris’s. For Iris, that could mean she loses her job, if she’s found out; but if she will do it, I will pay her enough to keep her and her family for the rest of her life, so that she has no need to work. But it’s the disgrace she will suffer. I’m loath to ask her to risk that for me, but I may have no other way.’

‘Explain the plan to me first, and what will be my own and Iris’s part . . . For goodness’ sake, I can’t believe I’m even saying that. But I do feel despair at the prospect of you never getting out any other way, and I cannot bear that thought. I feel so helpless. If I was still your doctor, I would be able to have some influence, but Harold has closed that loophole.’

‘This is going to feel as if we are a criminal gang, but I will need you to make sure that I have a getaway car . . .’ The doctor’s laughter spilled over her own. ‘I told you it would sound like we are gangsters, but transport is going to be vital to get me away. And you are the only person on my side who can help with that. It needn’t be you and your car, but if you could hire a taxi to wait for me on a given street, at a given hour, on a given day.’

‘Oh, I think I could sort that out, but I can’t stand the thought of this going wrong and you getting into a worse state than you are in now.’

‘I have to take that chance, Doctor.’

‘David. Call me David. If I’m to be part of your gang, I think first names are called for, don’t you?’

Mags giggled. ‘Yes. And . . . well, if this works, I will write to you to let you know how I am doing.’

‘Yes, please do. I will worry about you. Now I presume you intend to go to your bank first?’

‘No, that is what the letter of authority is for. My solicitors will release funds to you, as I can’t do anything without money.’

‘Are you sure that enough funds will be readily available? You will need clothes and money. Look, I have a better plan.’

As she listened, Mags wanted to hug David. That he should be willing to go so far for her, as he risked so much if he was caught – he could even be struck off, which would hurt him deeply. She knew he was doing this for love. And it pained her that she could not return that love. ‘Oh, David, you would do that for me? I – I’ll never be able to repay you.’

It showed his character that he didn’t ask anything of her, or declare the feelings that she instinctively knew he harboured.

‘You don’t have to. All I ask is that first you give me a chance to have you discharged in the proper manner. I will seek an appointment with Dr Jenkins and will do all I can to get him to discharge you.’