‘She lives in Marston Lane, quite close to the canal,’ he told Ruby. ‘You’ll be able to walk along the towpath and watch the barges in your time off, if you wish.’

Ruby knew that he was trying to put her at ease. He and Miss Wood had kept up a steady stream of chatter ever since they had left the house but her stomach was in knots and she was so nervous she felt a little sick. What if she didn’t like his aunt? Worse still, what if his aunt didn’t like her? There were so many questions she wanted to ask but didn’t dare. Soon the hackney drew to a halt and as Ruby peered anxiously out of the window she found herself outside a modest-looking detached house surrounded by a picket fence. There was a path leading from the gate to the front door and the garden either side of it was a profusion of flowers – chrysanthemums of all shapes, colours and sizes, hollyhocks, geraniums and foxgloves, to name but a few – and as they stepped down from the carriage the scent was heady.

‘I forgot to tell you,’ Mr Pembroke said with a smile after he’d paid the driver and sent him on his way, ‘Aunt Hermione is a keen gardener as you’ve probably noticed.’ He opened the gate and before they reached the brightly painted green door it opened and a plump, motherly looking woman wearing a voluminous white apron over a grey serge dress stood there beaming at them. Ruby thought she must be quite old as she had snow-white hair piled into an untidy bun on the back of her head and her blue eyes were faded but kindly.

‘Why, Oscar, how lovely to see you,’ she exclaimed in a very familiar fashion and Ruby wondered if this was his aunt. If she was, she was certainly nothing like Ruby had expected her to be. ‘Come on in now. I’ve got the kettle on an’ your aunt’s been waiting for you. She’s in the sitting room, so go on through and I’ll bring you some tea in.’ She smiled at Ruby then, a welcoming smile and Ruby decided that she liked her. ‘And you must be Ruby, luvvie. I’m Mrs Bablake, Hermione’s cook-cum-cleaner-cum bottle washer, but everybody calls me Mrs B. Welcome, we’ve been lookin’ forward to meetin’ you.’

Ruby returned the smile as she was ushered through the doorway and then Mrs B bustled off to the kitchen to prepare the tea.