With mixed emotions Ruby began to make her way upstairs to tidy Miranda’s room again. She was finding that she sometimes had to do it at least three or four times a day. She knew that Miranda simply threw her clothes about to annoy her but as yet she’d managed not to say anything, although there had been times when she had come dangerously close to it. The fact that Miranda had started to give her spiteful little pinches as she passed her didn’t help, but again she’d been able to control her temper, although she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to. She was passing the door to the day room where Miranda was having her piano lesson when it was suddenly flung open and Miranda appeared, red in the face with rage.

‘I did not get the notes wrong!’ she raged across her shoulder to the poor music teacher she had left sitting beside the piano. ‘And that’s it for today. I’ve had enough!’ She barged past Ruby so quickly that the poor girl was sent flying just as Miranda’s father appeared in the doorway of his study with a frown on his face.

‘Whatever is going on here?’ One glance at Ruby sprawled across the hall floor and Miranda stamping towards the stairs told him all he needed to know and his lips set in a grim line as he ordered, ‘Miranda! Come here this instant!’

Unused to being told off, the older girl scowled and reluctantly turned back to him. ‘What?’

‘Don’t talk to me like that, young lady. Just what do you think you are doing?’

Miranda stared back at him defiantly so he turned his attention to Ruby, asking, ‘Did my daughter just knock you over, my dear?’

‘I, er . . .’ Ruby felt her cheeks flame as she scrambled up from the floor.

‘It’s all right, you don’t need to say anything. I saw enough to know what went on. Ruby, go about your business. And you, Miranda, get in here immediately! I will not have such behaviour in my house, do you hear me?’

With a glare at Ruby, Miranda stormed past her father and when the door had closed behind them, Ruby let out a deep breath. Mr Pembroke might think he was doing her a kindness in correcting his daughter but Ruby knew that it would be her that paid for it eventually.