Olivia turned to look at her mother. ‘You never mentioned this.’

Ann pressed on. ‘After discussing the situation with the other members of the household over the last few days, I would like to offer you lodgings here.’

‘Other members?’ Mrs Sidcup was blindsided.

‘There are four of us living at number 25. Myself, Isobel, her fiancé Robert Buchan and my friend Mr Anderson. Perhaps you would like to look around?’

Olivia was first on her feet. ‘Yes, please,’ she said, before her mother could object. ‘I would be very interested to see where I might be living.’

For several days, Ann had been walking around the house, talking to herself as she practised giving a guided tour.

‘This is the kitchen, as you can see, and the scullery is through there with a lavatory at the end, and then there is the garden.’ She pointed to the wooden staircase. ‘That leads to the maid’s room, but this is 1931, and we don’t have a maid, so we all join in with the cleaning and cooking. Isobel is using it temporarily while her own room is being decorated,’ she said firmly. ‘And after that it will become my office.’ She led them into the hall, improvising rapidly. ‘There is a bathroom downstairs, and that’s the one the ladies use.’ Ann was careful to address her explanations to Olivia, and not to her mother.

‘Through here is the drawing room, which is where we entertain guests and we will have bigger events like Christmas; it’s the next room on the list to be decorated, and I hope it will be finished in time for the festive season.’ She pointed at the dining-room door but didn’t open it. ‘That’s my room. And then if you follow me upstairs you can see the rest of the house. Please count these stairs as you go up, it’s very important.’