The thought made Ruby’s heart thump with excitement.

*

The days seemed to fly by and Ruby was thoroughly enjoying herself. She spent most of each day at the shop with Mr Pembroke and Mr Chatsworth, and was even allowed to try some of the processes involved in the jewellery making in the workshop, where she soon discovered that they weren’t as easy as the people who did them made them look. The evenings were spent in the Chatsworths’ cosy sitting room playing chess and board games with George and Caroline. Then at last the day of the opera trip dawned and Mr Chatsworth told her over breakfast, ‘There is no need for you to come into the shop today, my dear. I know what you young ladies are like for getting ready, so have a relaxing day in and have a bath and wash your hair or whatever it is you young things do. Oscar and I will be home in plenty of time to get you there, I promise you.’

And so that was exactly what Ruby did. After lunch, Hattie filled a bath with steaming hot water then left Ruby to have a long leisurely soak and wash her hair. When she got out, she rubbed her hair with the towel until it gleamed then sat by the fire to dry it, thinking how lovely it would be if she could live this sort of life all the time. Then she shook her head and grinned. She was happy with the life she had now and knew that she would soon grow bored of sitting about.

It had been decided that they wouldn’t eat at home that evening so Mr Chatsworth had booked them a table at a restaurant for after the opera – another thing for Ruby to look forward to. She had never been to a very posh restaurant before and by five o’clock she was a bundle of nerves as she and Caroline made their way upstairs to get ready. It had been agreed that Hattie would help Caroline dress her hair and Miss Wood would help Ruby and she had scarcely got into her room when Miss Wood appeared.

‘How shall we do it?’ she said thoughtfully as she stared at Ruby’s reflection in the dressing table mirror. Then she smiled. ‘I think it would suit you piled high on top like this and then teased into little ringlets. What do you think?’ She caught Ruby’s hair and piled it loosely onto her crown. Ruby nodded, thinking how very grown-up it made her look.

Miss Wood had come armed with clips and slides and Ruby sat patiently while she worked her magic. And it really was magic, Ruby thought sometime later as she eyed the finished results.

‘It’s perfect,’ she breathed, her eyes sparkling. ‘Thank you so much.’