Hermione shook her head. ‘No, she didn’t, and it was as if she couldn’t wait to get out this morning. She was fine until Miranda called in the day before yesterday so I just wonder what that great-niece of mine has done to upset her. I know she’s my flesh and blood, but between you and me I can’t trust her. She’s too much like her mother for my liking, which is probably why I’ve never taken to her.’

‘I know what you mean, but you know what they say, “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family.”’ Mrs B grinned and began to carry the dirty pots to the kitchen while Hermione went to start weeding her beloved garden.

*

A short time later Ruby stood nervously on the platform at Trent Valley railway station in Nuneaton waiting for Miranda’s train to arrive, and when she saw it approaching, she breathed a sigh of relief. Once it had drawn to a halt, the porter hurried along throwing the carriage doors open and Miranda spilled out of one of them and hurried towards her.

She eyed Ruby enviously. Ruby had gone to a lot of trouble with her appearance that day and was wearing a very fetching velvet dress with a little matching jacket and a frilled blouse. Over this outfit, she wore her warm, fur-lined cloak.

‘That new, is it?’ Miranda asked by way of a greeting and Ruby managed a smile, although her stomach was churning with nerves. ‘It’s one of the outfits your aunt bought me to take to London.’

Miranda swallowed the jealousy that rose in her and forced a smile. ‘It looks very nice.’

They made their way outside to where a number of cabs were waiting for fares. ‘This one will do,’ Miranda said shortly, opening the nearest carriage door so that Ruby could climb in. She then went round to where the driver was removing the nosebags from the horses and after telling him where they wanted to go, she climbed in beside Ruby and sat heavily back against the grubby squabs.

‘So, are you going to tell me where we’re going now?’ Ruby asked anxiously as the carriage drew away.

‘You’ll see soon enough. But are you quite sure you haven’t told anyone where you were going today?’

‘I promise I haven’t said a word to anyone.’ Ruby wondered why Miranda sounded so nervous. It wasn’t as if it was her mother they were going to see after all. And why did she seem to be in such a bad mood today? For months, ever since Ruby had left Miranda’s home, she had been all sweetness and light each time they had met, but today she was more like the spiteful, sullen girl that Ruby remembered from when they had first met.