I can’t even do that, she thought, sinking into a despairing sleep. Can’t do men, can’t do children: barren. When she woke it was dark and her head was pounding. She just made it down to the bathroom and was sick, her body heaving painfully. She drank some water and sat groggily on the toilet trying to pull herself together.

Whatever was the time? The house seemed to be completely quiet. Molly crept down to the hall and switched on the light to look at the clock. It was a quarter to one in the morning. She had slept through all the serving of dinner! She would dearly have loved a cup of tea, but there was no chance of that now, so she crept back up and crawled into bed again, feeling doubly ashamed.

‘I told Mr Lester that you were ill,’ Mrs Lester said the next morning. She was up in time for breakfast, looking pale and strained, and Molly realized that she had dragged herself out of bed in case Molly hadn’t made an appearance. She wasn’t sure what was wrong with Mrs Lester: she realized it was probably mostly in her mind. ‘Well, I wasn’t feeling too well,’ Molly admitted. ‘I never meant to just sleep the evening away, though. I’m ever so sorry.’ Molly had managed to get down and carry out her breakfast duties, including singing, with a throbbing head, the smell of powdered egg making her feel even more sick.

Jane Lester went and closed the kitchen door, careful to check that her husband was nowhere within earshot.

‘Molly,’ she said sternly, ‘I came up to look for you. The smell of drink was overpowering. You might have been sleeping in a distillery. If Bernard had smelt it . . .’ She rolled her eyes. ‘He’s very strong on temperance – oh, you’ve no idea.’

Molly did have some idea, because Mr Lester seemed to be strong on everything. But she was ashamed. Blushing, she hung her head, trying to think what to say.

‘We cannot have strong drink in this house!’ Mrs Lester declared with a passion. ‘Do you understand? I had no idea that you . . . You never seemed that kind of person!’

Molly bit back a bitter reply. Well, that’s what you think – but I am, so there!

‘I’m not really – I just . . . I can’t really explain.’

‘You must pray for strength against temptation.’ Mrs Lester’s face took on a zealous shine, but Molly could see that she was also frightened of her husband. ‘We can’t have this here, Molly – and if Bernard finds out, you’ll be sacked immediately. Pray to the Lord, and don’t ever let it happen again!’

It was easier said than done. Just those few drinks had started Molly off again and it felt as if her body craved a drink – even that next morning. It developed a taste for it all over again, and so quickly.