‘You are too kind,’ said Rose.

‘Your companion, Miss Levine, will be my guest as well. Now do bustle along and pack your trunks. My footmen will carry them for you when you are ready.’

Rose curtsied and left. ‘What’s it all about?’ whispered Daisy.

‘I neither know nor care,’ said Rose. ‘This is our way out of here!’

It seemed to take an age to pack their clothes and then return to the parlour so that the duchess could instruct the footmen to go down to the cellars and bring up their remaining luggage.

At last they were ready. ‘I wish to have a little word in private with the ladies,’ said the Mother Superior.

‘I’ll wait for you in the motor,’ said the little duchess cheerfully.

She left and Sister Agnes walked in and stood beside the Mother Superior. ‘Rose and Daisy, I have been pleased by your recent behaviour. You must tell Her Grace how well we have looked after you.’

A nasty retort trembled on Daisy’s lips. As if sensing it, Rose pinched her arm.

She waited but neither Rose nor Daisy said a word.

‘You may go,’ said the Mother Superior after a long silence.

They hurried out, across the hall and through the open door. It was a mild spring day and birds were singing in the trees.

A highly polished motor car was waiting. A uniformed chauffeur saluted as they approached.

Daisy took a deep breath of fresh air.

‘Wait!’ They stopped beside the motor as Sister Agnes hurried up to them.

‘It was most rude of you not to reply to the Mother Superior. You will both be disciplined when you return.’

‘Look, you old crow,’ snarled Daisy, ‘buy yourself a razor and shave off your moustache.’

As Sister Agnes spluttered in outrage, Rose thrust Daisy into the car, followed her and sat down as the chauffeur shut the door.

They moved off through the iron gates of the convent.

‘Now we can be comfortable,’ said the duchess. ‘Pooh, you both smell of carbolic.’

‘It was the only kind of soap in the convent,’ said Rose. ‘We weren’t allowed to wear scent. We are deeply grateful to you for this invitation. What prompted it?’

‘Oh, a friend. No more questions. I must sleep. The sisters do very good work but I find these calls at the convent fatiguing.’ With that she closed her eyes.

The car purred on out of Oxford. Hot baths with scented soap, thought Rose. No getting up at five in the morning. No more having to sleep in the same room as Daisy. She does snore.

They each sat in silence, not wanting to wake the duchess.

Oxford fell behind as they bowled out into the countryside. They were both warmly wrapped in carriage rugs, and soon Rose and Daisy were asleep as well.

Rose awoke to find the carriage entering a drive through tall iron gates which had been opened by a lodge keeper. They drove slowly under trees. Thick woodland was on either side. Then they passed another lodge and drove through fields where sheep grazed, then under a stable arch and into a circular courtyard.