They decided to carry the suitcases up first and then return for the trunk. Their suitcases were light because they contained nothing but their ‘working clothes’, but the trunk was heavy because it was not only packed with underwear but piles of books which Rose considered essential and Daisy thought were a waste of time and energy.

Daisy unlocked the door to their room. ‘There you are,’ she said cheerfully. ‘New home.’

Rose bit her lip. She would not cry. But the sight of the room depressed her so much that she felt a lump rising in her throat.

She forced herself to say, ‘I suppose it will do. Let’s get the trunk.’

Miss Harringey, hands folded on her rigid bosom, watched curiously as they struggled back up the stairs, carrying the trunk between them. Rose turned on the first landing and saw her watching and gave her a haughty, glacial stare. Miss Harringey sniffed and retreated to her parlour.

When they laid the trunk in a corner, Rose straightened up and looked around again.

‘There are no curtains,’ she said.

‘That’s ’cos we’re at the top of the house,’ said Daisy. ‘Nobody can look in.’

‘I want curtains,’ said Rose. ‘Good, lined curtains.’

‘You do that, and then the old bat will become suspicious if she starts snooping around. Look, we’ll buy some cheap ones.’

‘And a vase for flowers. I need fresh flowers.’

‘My lady . . . I mean Rose . . . you’ll need to get used to the new life.’

‘A cheap vase and cheap flowers,’ said Rose stubbornly.

‘There aren’t any cheap flowers in winter.’

‘We’ll get a vase anyway and prepare for spring. But curtains, right now. Run down and get us a hack.’

‘People like us don’t take carriages,’ said Rose patiently. ‘We’ll walk up to Lower Oxford Street, and then, if you’re tired, we’ll take the omnibus, and not first class either.’

Rose sat down on the bed. ‘Perhaps we shouldn’t rush into things. Light that fire, Daisy. This room is abominably cold.’

‘I need a penny for the meter.’

Rose opened her handbag and took out her purse. ‘Here’s a penny. I suppose we’ll need to save a stock of pennies for the fire and the bath. Oh, we can’t even have a cup of tea.’

‘Yes, we can!’ said Daisy triumphantly. ‘You packed books, I packed essentials.’ She put a penny in the meter and lit the gas. She unlocked the trunk and pulled out a small kettle, a teapot, a packet of tea and a paper twist of sugar. ‘No milk, but we can have it without. I’ve brought a pot and frying pan as well.’

Rose began to laugh. ‘Anything else?’

‘Six sausages and two rashers of bacon and a loaf of bread.’

‘But how on earth can you cook?’