‘So, Miss Farthing, or may I call you Holly? Your grandfather tells me that you’ll be starting a Red Cross course after Christmas.’

Holly nodded. ‘Yes, I’m greatly looking forward to it. In fact my greatest ambition is to become a nurse.’

‘Really?’ He looked astounded. ‘But surely a woman’s place is at home, running the house and caring for her children?’

‘I believe that tradition is becoming rather outdated now,’ Holly informed him haughtily, dabbing at her mouth with a crisp white napkin. ‘More and more women are pursuing careers, and of course there are the suffragettes who believe that women should have equality and the right to vote.’

‘Don’t you dare talk about those hussies at my table! They’re a disgrace to their sex, chaining themselves to railings and smashing shop windows,’ her grandfather growled, before giving Walter Dolby an apologetic smile. ‘I do apologise for my granddaughter, Walter. I’m afraid she’s at that age where she is very susceptible to these silly modern ideas. But for all that, I think she’ll make someone a wonderful wife. She’s more than capable of running a house and she’s quite a fine pianist too.’

Angry colour rose in Holly’s cheeks. Her grandfather was talking about her as if she wasn’t even in the room, and to make things worse she could see that her mother was becoming increasingly agitated – so much so that at that moment she tipped a glass of red wine all over the tablecloth.

‘Oh dear,’ Emma flustered. ‘Now look what I’ve done.’ She was dabbing ineffectively at the scarlet stain that was slowly spreading across the crisp linen cloth.

‘Leave it,’ her father ordered shortly, and Holly stared at him resentfully. She had always thought that her grandfather was an attractive man, with his full beard and thatch of grey hair, but it suddenly hit her that he was ageing. His back was becoming slightly stooped and for the first time she noticed the lines around his eyes. His once firm stomach had turned into a slight paunch, no doubt caused by the port he was so fond of, and suddenly she could stand it no longer.

Standing so abruptly that she almost overturned her chair, she glared at him. ‘If you will excuse me, I’m afraid I have rather a bad headache so I think I’ll retire.’ Then, before her grandfather could object, she turned to Mr Dolby and held out her hand. ‘Good evening, sir.’ She swept away with her head held high, but once she had reached the safety of her room, she took a long, deep breath and flattened herself against the door as the tears finally came. Walter Dolby seemed a pleasant enough man but the thought of having to be intimate with him turned her stomach.

I shan’t marry him no matter what Grandfather threatens, she silently told herself, then, throwing herself onto the bed, she sobbed.

She was still there almost an hour later when her mother tentatively tapped on the door before entering. ‘Oh, Holly, your grandfather is very angry with you for charging off like that. Didn’t you like Mr Dolby?’