Had she promised to come for lunch on Thursday? Clarissa had asked her earlier when she was escorting her round the house, but to Ruby’s mind she’d parried the invitation, hoping Clarissa wouldn’t pursue it. Clarissa was being gracious, and she was clearly a genuinely warm-hearted woman, but the social gulf between them was so huge no amount of gratitude on Clarissa’s part could bridge it. She must see that?

Highly embarrassed now, and wondering what Clarissa’s brother was thinking, Ruby said awkwardly, ‘That’s really very nice of you but I don’t think—’

‘But you’re on holiday this week, you told me so,’ Clarissa interrupted before she could finish. ‘Oh, Ruby, please spare the time.’ Clarissa took her hands, shaking them slightly. ‘We can lunch down by the lake – it’s lovely and cool there in the shade of the trees. Edward, tell her she must come.’

Edward looked at Ruby, a wry twist to his lips. ‘She’s like a miniature steamroller, Miss Morgan, take it from me, and always gets her own way. Thoroughly spoiled by our parents, I’m afraid, and Godfrey took over from where they left off.’

‘Oh, you!’ Clarissa pushed her brother with sisterly disapproval. ‘You make me out to be a brat.’

‘Well . . .’ Edward grinned at Ruby and she had to smile back; they were like a double act, they really were.

‘You’ll come?’ Clarissa said again.

Ruby nodded. ‘Thank you.’ Edward was right, Clarissa was an unstoppable force, and anyway she would be back at work next week and normal life would have to resume. Why not take this brief step out of reality and enjoy it for what it was worth – a glimpse into how the other half lived.

‘Oh, goody.’ Clarissa actually clapped her hands and Edward sighed in mock despair.

‘See what I mean, Miss Morgan? She’s never grown up.’

‘I’m perfectly grown up but I refuse to be dull and boring like you.’ Clarissa softened the rebuke with a smile and then said, ‘I’ll ring for Gladys to tell Pearson you’re ready to leave, Ruby.’

‘Don’t bother Pearson,’ Edward said easily. ‘If I know you you’re going to take at least an hour or more to pretty yourself and I’ll just be kicking my heels waiting. Why don’t I pop Miss Morgan home?’

This was getting worse by the minute. Ruby’s eyelids blinked rapidly but for the life of her she could think of no firm reason why Clarissa’s brother shouldn’t take her home. Somehow she managed to say weakly, ‘Oh, I really couldn’t put you to that bother, Mr Forsythe.’

‘The name’s Edward, and it’s no bother at all. In fact, you would be doing me a favour. Shall we?’ He smiled at her and held out his arm for her to put her hand in the crook of his elbow. She could do nothing but comply, especially with Clarissa beaming at them as though she had engineered the whole thing.