‘You’ll do,’ she said, straight-faced. ‘But come and eat something before you go. Oscar and Miss Wood will be here to pick you up at any minute and I know you haven’t eaten a thing. Betty told me you didn’t touch a bite at breakfast.’

‘I’m too excited to eat,’ Ruby confessed as she checked that she had her sketches safely packed yet again and her face suddenly clouded with worry. ‘What if Mr Chatsworth doesn’t like my designs?’

Hermione tutted. ‘Of course he’ll like them. If Oscar didn’t think they were good enough to take to the London shop he wouldn’t be taking you on this trip, would he?’

The words had barely left her lips when the doorbell sounded and when Ruby hurried to open it, she found Bill on the step smiling broadly. He had travelled over on the train with Mr Pembroke and Miss Wood to help with the luggage.

Whipping his cap off he respectfully nodded towards Hermione before turning his attention to Ruby, who looked absolutely stunning.

‘Mr Pembroke and Miss Wood are waiting in the carriage when you’re ready, Ruby,’ he said, forcing himself to look away from her. Slipping his cap back on he lifted both of the valises as if they weighed no more than a feather as Ruby hurriedly put on her bonnet and draped her warm cloak about her shoulders. It had stopped snowing the week before but it was still bitterly cold outside.

‘Right, off you go and enjoy yourself,’ Hermione told her. ‘And don’t forget what I told you. Hold your head high and be confident.’

‘I will . . . and thank you . . . for everything.’ Ruby leant over and impulsively pecked Hermione on the cheek.

‘Oh, get off with you,’ Hermione scolded, but Ruby saw her blink rapidly as she turned to hurry out to the carriage.

Hermione watched from the doorway as Ruby clambered in, helped by Bill, and after she had waved them off and closed the door there was a satisfied smile on her face. If she wasn’t very much mistaken, Ruby was about to embark on a very successful career. The girl had talent and Hermione was proud that she had been able to help her develop it.

*

In the carriage, Ruby admired Miss Wood’s travelling costume and thought how different she looked. She tended to wear rather plain, darker colours in her role as housekeeper at Mr Pembroke’s, but the burgundy velvet she was wearing with a pert little hat to match made her look entirely different. In fact, if Ruby hadn’t known who she was she would have taken her for a lady of class.

‘You look very lovely,’ she told her shyly.

Miss Wood flushed with pleasure. ‘Why, thank you, dear. I must say you look very smart yourself.’ Could Ruby have known it, Miss Wood was looking forward to the trip almost as much as she was.