‘God knows if ’twill do any good, but at least I’ll have tried. And maybe you could call in to see Mrs Cartwright, if you wouldn’t mind,’ she cajoled, ‘and ask if Mr Cartwright could put in a good word for Seth. After all, Seth did save him from that attack, and Mr Cartwright always said that he were a model prisoner. He always awarded him maximum points towards his ticket of leave, and he is a principal warder so his opinion might count for something.’ Florrie frowned as she slid the letter down inside her full bosom to join the key. ‘Like as not, your man’ll lose all his points and have extra years added to his sentence. He were an utter fool to try and bolt.’ ‘But he was desperate, Florrie!’ Rose cried, moisture glistening in her lavender-blue eyes. ‘Can you imagine being imprisoned for something you didn’t do? Seth’s twenty-nine now, so he’ll be nearly forty before he’s released. The best years of his life gone. If he survives that long. And if ’tweren’t for Ned, he’d have been away to freedom in another week from now.
