‘You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?’ she accused. ‘Mind you, I don’t even know why I’m bothering to ask your opinion. I’ve never seen you do anything to your hair but pin it out of the way.’

Grace put up her hand to touch a strand of her light brown hair. ‘It’s practical.’

‘Who wants to be practical?’ Dulcie turned back to face her reflection. ‘I’d rather be pretty any day.’ She teased a couple of curls to frame her face and smiled coquettishly at herself.

Grace watched her wistfully for a moment. It had never occurred to her she could even try to be pretty. Her mother had certainly not put such ideas in her head. As far as she was concerned, clothes only needed to be warm and practical enough to withstand the rigours of farm work.

Dulcie had grown up in the country too yet she knew all about the latest styles and fashions. From what Grace could tell, her mother had encouraged her interest, sewing her copies of the dresses she had seen in magazines, teaching her how to do all kinds of fancy things to her hair.

Sarah Duffield had never encouraged Grace to think much of herself. In her opinion time spent in front of the mirror was time wasted, especially where her daughter was concerned. As she had said to Grace often enough, ‘You’ll never make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.’

‘Anyway, you could be more interested,’ Dulcie said. ‘This is my big chance, remember?’

‘How could I forget?’ Grace murmured. She went back to polishing her shoes.

‘Of course, I knew Robert would notice me in the end,’ Dulcie said. ‘Although I must say, I didn’t think it would take this long.’ She giggled. ‘It sounds funny to call him Robert, doesn’t it? But I suppose I shall have to get used to it. I mean, I can’t call him Dr Logan when we’re married, can I?’

Grace said nothing. She kept her eyes fixed on her polish brush, going back and forth across the toes of her shoes.

‘I wonder why it took him so long to ask me out? I daresay he’s just shy, don’t you think?’ she answered her own question. ‘I mean, he can still scarcely get up the nerve to speak to me. Have you noticed that? It’s so sweet, don’t you think? Duffield?’

‘Hmm?’

‘Don’t you think it’s sweet that he can hardly dare to speak to me? Mind you, I hope he plucks up some courage at this wedding,’ she laughed. ‘I shall be very disappointed if he doesn’t kiss me before the evening is out.’ She leaned forward, pouting her lips to kiss her own reflection. Then she looked at Grace in the mirror. ‘Careful, Duffield, you’ll polish the leather away if you keep scrubbing at them like that!’

Grace was aware of Dulcie watching her as she put down the cloth and started buffing her shoes with a cloth.