‘I suppose this is all his doing?’ she had said, nodding towards the kitchen. The faint sounds of Edward’s merry whistling came from beyond the door.

‘We decided it together,’ Anna insisted firmly.

‘Don’t give me that! It was his idea, and you went along with it as usual.’ Mrs Church’s eyes narrowed. ‘He’s been wanting to get rid of me ever since he moved in. He knows I’m wise to him.’ She jabbed a finger at Anna. ‘Well, I just hope you know what you’re doing, my girl. You might think he can do no wrong, but you’ll soon find out different, believe me!’

Anna stared at her. No wonder Edward didn’t want her around!

‘Please don’t speak about my husband like that,’ she said, fighting to keep the anger out of her voice.

‘Listen to you, defending him again!’ Mrs Church’s thin lips curled. ‘He knows how to charm his way round you, all right. God knows, I’ve watched him do it enough times.’ She shook her head. ‘Oh, he’s clever, I’ll give him that. But one day you’ll wake up and see him for what he really is.’

‘I think you’d better go,’ Anna said.

‘I’m going, don’t you worry. I wouldn’t stop here for all the tea in China. Not after the way you’ve treated me.’

Mrs Church went into the hall and unhooked her coat from the hallstand. Anna watched as she struggled to get into it, punching her arms through the sleeves in her agitation.

‘I shouldn’t think Charlie will be working here much longer, either,’ she said. ‘My sister reckons your husband’s a bad influence on the boy. She’s only allowed him to stay this long because I’ve been here to keep an eye on him.’

Good thing too, Anna thought as she watched Mrs Church jamming her hat on her head.

‘You don’t know the half of it,’ Ida went on. ‘But you’ll find out soon enough. There’ll be no more charm once he’s got you where he wants you, you’ll see another side to him then.’

Anna fought to control her temper. But her hand was trembling as she held it out.

‘I’ll have your keys, if you don’t mind?’ she said. ‘You won’t be needing them anymore.’

Mrs Church shot her a venomous look, then fished in her coat pocket. She drew out the jingling bunch of keys and slapped them into Anna’s palm.

‘Good luck to you,’ she said. ‘I daresay you’ll need it.’

They lingered for as long as they could over their tea and cakes, laughing about the fun they’d had, and the dreadful ward sisters they had endured. They were having such a good time Anna didn’t want it to end. But all too soon Miriam looked up and said,

‘Gracious, look, it’s gone four. Miss Sutton will have my guts for garters if I’m not back on the ward at five.’

‘Me too,’ Dulcie said.

Anna felt a sharp pang of regret as she watched them gathering up their coats and hats. She had only been away from the place for a couple of hours, but she already missed it.