‘You can’t really be serious about this, Oscar,’ she whined as she made to place her hand on his arm, but he stepped away from her, a look of revulsion on his face. ‘I was sure you would see sense once things had calmed down. There is no need for Miranda to go away now. The servant girl is getting better, isn’t she? And Miranda has assured me that she will never do such a thing again.’

‘Of course, she won’t, until the next time,’ he said sarcastically.

Lydia’s expression changed and she stamped her foot petulantly as she saw that he would not be swayed. He had always been so pliable and she had been able to wrap him around her little finger but suddenly he was treating her as if she were a stranger.

‘I won’t let you do this!’ she declared, but again he simply stared coldly back at her and after inclining his head to them, he strode out of the room without giving either of them a backwards glance.

*

It was late on Thursday evening after everyone had retired to bed, when Ruby’s bedroom door inched open. She had convinced them all that she was quite well enough to sleep alone again and she thought it was just Miss Wood or Betty come to check on her so she was surprised to see Miranda standing there, her face twisted with malice.

‘I suppose you know I’m being sent away to France tomorrow?’ Miranda spat as she approached her.

Ruby cowered beneath the covers. Her leg was still tightly splinted and she knew she would stand no chance if Miranda started on her again.

‘And it’s all because of you! You bitch! But don’t feel too pleased about it because I’ve come to tell you that one day I shall be back and when I do come back you are going to pay!’

‘B-but I haven’t done anything,’ Ruby protested feebly.

Miranda’s teeth showed in a feral snarl as she leant down so that their faces were dangerously close. ‘Oh, so you haven’t been making sheep’s eyes at Bill when you knew I liked him? I shall never forgive you for causing this and just remember, I’ll be back and it will be God help you when I am!’ She turned abruptly and left the room as quietly as she had come as Ruby lay there feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

*

Bill drove a very sulky Miranda and her father to the railway station in the carriage the following morning. The carriage was piled with trunks, hat boxes and all manner of things that Miranda had insisted she simply must take with her. Back at the house, Lydia was charging from room to room like a woman possessed, despite Miss Wood’s best efforts to calm her down.