The question spared Sam the discomfort of mouthing platitudes such as 'nice to meet you' when it most certainly wasn't, by fault of the circumstances rather than any of Emma's. He shook his head briefly, casting a wry glance up towards the front of the bus, where the staff was still ushering the patients on. "I don't think letting us out is a regular occurrence, whatever the head of the institution might say about considering making it one. Haven't been here a week yet, though, so I might be wrong."

A moment's pause then, and he added, offhand, "Come to think of it, I don't think anyone I've spoken to has been here for long."