Her Majesty's Prison Wandsworth

[Idris]

Surprised by Don’s question, Smith paused, uncertainly. He must have made up his mind, for he answered in a rush, constantly looking over his shoulder as if afraid of being overheard.

“I don’t know what you are thinking of doing, but it is true that Foxwell was...is...an agitator of sorts. From what I have heard, he was stirring up the men employed in the factory, the one that burned down. That is what he is accused of....arson. A few weeks ago I’d have believed it too, with all the stories going round.”

Smith sighed and pressed a hand to the bloody bandage around his head.

“After Foxwell was sent here I began to have my doubts. With what I’ve seen today, I know for sure there is more to it. Foxwell is a marked man and the prisoners who attacked us were under orders, or promised a reward to kill him.”

The warder leaned heavily against the wall, but his eyes looked intensely into Don’s.

“If you think you can help him in some way then good luck to you.” The sound of a door slamming in the distance made Smith jump, and he added quickly. “I live in Battersea, 61 Alfred Street, near the railway works. Just don’t scare my family if you call there.”

[sleepingdragon]

Don nodded. He pulled out his letter to his father, tore a small scrap off the bottom right hand corner of the last page, and wrote Smith's address on it.

"Goodbye," he said quietly to Smith, heading for the door.

[Idris]

As Don stowed the piece of paper safely away the sound of feet hurrying grew suddenly nearer. Two warders appeared and rushed past him with scarcely a look. One unlocked the wicket within the great prison doors and they dashed outside.

Smith raised his eyebrows at Don but before he could say anything, they could hear a girl's voice raised in desperate protest. The warders stepped back through the wicket, dragging between them a young woman.

She was worryingly thin, with the patchy high colour and overbright eyes of someone in the throes of a fever. Her hair had come down and she seemed wild and unrestrained as she struggled in their grip and called out for help.

Suddenly one of the men swore and let go of her. "Bitch bit me 'and!" he shouted.