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answered, feeling a lump in her throat as she thought of Flora cuddled up to her. ‘I’d better get to my chores.’
    â€˜Well, here you are at last,’ Miss Dunham said as Daisy entered the kitchen. Esme and Gladys from her cottage were there already. ‘I thought I’d be peeling potatoes myself, you took so long.’ She pointed to a wide bench at the end of the room, where several large sacks of potatoes sat. ‘Off you go, then. When you’re finished come and see me. There’s plenty more.’
    Daisy tied on an apron, and took a small knife from one of the wooden drawers. She pulled up a stool beside the other girls.
    â€˜Kitchen is the worst job, I reckon,’ Gladys said quietly, looking around to make sure Miss Dunham had left.
    â€˜But it’s better than the washroom,’ Daisy answered, plunging a potato into a tub of water.
    â€˜S’pose so, but at least there you can talk and no one catches ya,’ Gladys said.
    â€˜I’d rather work out in the garden,’ Daisy said, ‘out in the sunshine. It’s getting so warm now, you can feel summer in the air.’
    â€˜That’s a boy’s job, though,’ Esme said. ‘You’re better off learning stuff that will help you run your own house one day.’
    Daisy sighed. She couldn’t imagine ever having her own house. It’s all such a mess, she thought, shaking her head. She only had a few weeks to stop Aunty May from sending Flora to Sydney. She still had no idea where Dad was, and now he’d have no way to contact her. And how would she ever take Flora from Aunty May? But first she had to get out of this prison.
    Daisy stared at the grubby potato in her hand. Harry was her last chance.

    After a dinner of bread and jam, Edith and Daisy went to the playroom to look for Harry. He was in a corner poring over a newspaper, silently mouthing the words to himself.
    â€˜Watcha reading?’ Edith demanded.
    â€˜None of your business,’ Harry answered.
    Daisy peered down at the page. There was a photo of a racehorse, his trainer holding his reins and smiling broadly. ‘What a wonderful-looking horse!’
    Harry looked up at her warily. ‘’Course he’s wonderful. That’s Phar Lap, the most magnificent racehorse in the world.’
    â€˜Oh yes,’ Daisy said. ‘My dad told me about him, but I’ve never seen a picture. He’s so tall, he must be fifteen hands high.’
    â€˜Seventeen to be exact,’ Harry said proudly. ‘Won almost every race he’s been in for the past two years, and he’ll be in the Cup next month.’
    â€˜The Melbourne Cup?’ Daisy asked.
    Harry nodded. ‘Most famous horse race in all the country, and Phar Lap’s gonna win it easily.’ He took a deep breath and lowered his voice. ‘And I’m gonna be there to see it.’
    â€˜But how?’ Daisy asked.
    â€˜I have my ways,’ Harry said mysteriously.
    Edith moved closer and whispered to him, ‘Well then, it couldn’t be more perfect, could it? ’Cos Daisy needs to get out of here, too!’
    Harry flicked his eyes up at Daisy and she could see him carefully weighing up the idea.
    â€˜But what about you, Edith? Don’t you want to escape, too?’ Daisy asked.
    Edith shook her head. ‘I need to stay here for Freddy. I got me own plans. In a couple of years I’ll be able to leave and get a job, and then I’m going to get Freddy out and take care of him.’
    There was a burst of noise behind them from a group of children playing Snap.
    â€˜So come on, Harry, fess up and tell us your grand plan,’ Edith said, poking him in the back.
    â€˜Well . . . ’ Harry scanned the room to make sure no Cottage Mothers were around. ‘You know how the cobbler comes on Tuesdays?’
    Edith and Daisy nodded.
    â€˜Well, the Cup is on a Tuesday, so I reckon I’ll climb