‘Oh!’ Sarah gasped. ‘I have done it!’
One by one, they moved through the rows of a dozen cages freeing the other girls. Now familiar with the mechanism, they worked much faster. Trembling hands reached desperately through the bars whilst each girl waited her turn.
Some burst quietly into tears once freed.
Charlotte hurried to soothe them into silence, whispering reassurances as fear threatened to spread through the group.
Giving in to fear would doom them all.
When the final lock sprang open, she turned towards the heavy wooden door at the far end of the chamber.
As she tried the handle, hope faltered. The door was locked.
When Charlotte bent to peer through the keyhole, she saw the key still inserted upon the opposite side.
‘Any ideas?’ she whispered.
Lucy suddenly brightened.
‘I do.’
Before Charlotte could question her, she tore a strip from the hem of her gown.
Sarah stared at her in bewilderment.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Push the cloth beneath the door and spread it flat,’ Lucy instructed quickly.
Charlotte obeyed at once, using the pocket knife to force the fabric through the narrow gap.
Lucy held out her hand impatiently for the knife.
‘In the workhouse, the matrons locked us in at night. Some of the girls taught me tricks.’
Charlotte handed it over, and she saw her insert the blade carefully through the keyhole and gave it a sharp jab.
A metallic clink sounded.
The key had fallen.
Every girl collectively held their breath.
Then Lucy grinned.
‘Pull.’
Charlotte drew the cloth back slowly—agonisingly slowly—and the key slid beneath the door atop the fabric.
Sarah stared at it in astonishment.
‘I cannot believe that worked.’
‘Neither can I,’ Charlotte admitted faintly.
But there was no time to marvel.
Her hands trembled as she fitted the key into the lock.
