‘We had to see you, Piers.’ Rosalind barely recognised this scarecrow of a man as her debonair husband. She clasped her hands firmly in front of her in an attempt to stop them trembling. ‘I’m so sorry to see you like this.’

He shot her a sideways glance. ‘You shouldn’t have come. I didn’t want you to visit this place. You should know better than to bring her here, Alex.’

‘Piers, old chap, you have to listen to her. Trimble accosted her last time she tried to see you and he threatened your child. You are responsible for their lives, not just your own.’

‘Trimble is back in his cell. I can hear him ranting away at night. There’s no sleeping in a place like this.’

‘And you’ll spend the best part of your life here if you don’t turn Queen’s evidence, Piers.’ Rosalind lowered her voice. If they could hear the other prisoners it was possible they could be overheard too, and all would be lost. ‘I know it’s dangerous, but you will clear your name and we can be a family again.’

‘And if I do that I’ll be putting you all in danger as well as myself. I’m in too deep to get away with it, Rosie. I was fool enough to get mixed up with the gang in Plymouth. Our ship was wrecked by rivals in France. I was lucky to survive then but they will get me for certain if I turn against them, and not only me. You and the child will be in danger, too.’

‘The child has a name, Piers. Your daughter will be christened Adela, but we call her Dolly. She is so beautiful – you must try to shorten your sentence in any way you can. Otherwise she won’t know you.’

Piers shook his head. ‘It isn’t that simple, Rosie. I’m sorry to have let you down so badly. I wanted to make us rich, but all I’ve done is to ruin everything.’

Alex grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard. ‘Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You have made a mess of things, but you can at least come out of this with some dignity if you turn Queen’s evidence against the gangs. If the police catch them, or at least disperse them, you’ll be safer than if you remain in this place.’

‘Trimble is out to get you, Piers,’ Rosalind added tearfully. ‘His wife came all the way to Rockwood to warn me that they are planning to kill you.’

Piers sank down on the hard board that served as his bed. ‘Maybe that would be a kindness to all of you. I’ve done you nothing but harm. I should never have married you, but I did love you, Rosie. I want you to believe that.’