‘How are you, my woman?’ she said, but Tess had seen the hastily stifled look of dismay on her hostess’s face when she took in the navy dress and shoes, and hastened to reassure her.

‘These are just my best clothes for travelling in and for going to church on Sundays,’ she said quickly. ‘I’ve got my old stuff in the suitcase, and Jonty says I can wear Patty’s overalls while I’m doing mucky jobs.’

‘What nonsense, Tess; as if I’d expect you to work when you’ve come on a visit,’ Mrs Bell said, but Tess saw a blush creep up her hostess’s cheeks and when Jonty gave a rude crow of disbelief his mother shot him a darkling look which boded ill for her son when she got him alone.

However, he was bidden to take their guest upstairs to her room so that she might change. ‘Because we don’t want you to go a-messin’ up of your nice new clothes,’ Mrs Bell said tactfully. ‘I expect Jonty’s told you that Maggie’s got a job in Norwich. She come home weekends from time to time but mostly she stays with her Aunty Daff up on Unthank Road, ’cos she can walk to her office from there. So you won’t need to go up to the attic, my dear; I’ve given you Maggie’s room.’

‘Oh, but what about weekends . . .?’ Tess was beginning, but Jonty ushered her away before she could say any more. As they climbed the stairs, he explained.

‘Maggie’s got a boyfriend,’ he hissed, grinning. ‘Can you imagine, my sister has actually managed to find herself a boyfriend! She came home one weekend but she was just miserable. She wouldn’t help on the farm or in the house, kept talking about this Philip Broster, telling us how wonderful he was. She says they mean to marry as soon as they’ve saved enough to take on the rent of a flat or a cottage. So you needn’t worry that you’re taking her room. Dad told her she’d have to sleep in the attic whilst you were with us, so I doubt you’ll see her before you go home.’

‘Oh. That’s all right then,’ Tess said faintly. ‘But I don’t know why you’re surprised that Maggie’s got a boyfriend. She’s really pretty.’

Jonty shrugged. ‘Do you think so?’ he said, with brotherly incredulity. ‘Anyway, the room’s yours whilst you’re here, so you needn’t worry that Maggie will try to oust you. How long will it take you to change?’

‘Ten minutes,’ Tess said rather rashly, with thoughts of sausage meat pie in the forefront of her mind, and when Jonty had thundered down the stairs she was forced to hurry, tearing off her beautiful dress and shoes, having a quick splash at the washstand and then donning her old grey skirt and blue blouse, both of which were a trifle small, which just went to prove, she thought as she left the room, that Jonty was not the only one to have gained some weight after all.