...ll right’ I whispered through the door. Thinking that he could probably be bought and paid off.

I could hear him pace on the spot, thinking about what to do. If he should let me out or not. Talking to himself.

‘Ok’ he shouted after much deliberation. ‘ I’ll let you out Mam’.

‘Yes, good man’ I whispered. Feeling the relief washing over me but not thinking what I was going to do next.

‘But Mam?’ the man asked me. ‘It would be more than my life to let you out and for the young Master to find out it was I’ he exclaimed.

‘Don’t worry’ I sighed. ‘ just let me out, hurry’ The eagerness in my voice, the panic in case someone came.

‘Hurry up, my good man’ I said as I got up and waited by the door, just grabbing my shawl from the lounge chaise. And he turned the key in the door, my hand on the handle the whole time, waiting for my escape.