The next morning Jenny was up at seven, before it was light. She had passed a long sleepless night worrying about the day to come. As each minute had dragged by, she’d convinced herself that her plan didn’t stand a chance. How was she going to get a job? She didn’t have any experience or references. What if an employer looked into her background and found that someone called Jenny Baker didn’t exist? In the dark of the small hours it had all seemed hopeless. But she had to try.

The dining room was set for breakfast with silver dishes full of hot food on the sideboard, just as normal, but the smell of bacon nearly made her heave. She was relieved no one was around because her eyes were red from crying. The loneliness and fear she felt were awful, but she made a great effort to appear outwardly composed. Whatever the future held for her would have to be faced. She was about to spin the coin again, and fervently hoped it would fall as heads this time.

An hour later she was creeping along the hallway, her hair pinned back to make her look older, wearing one of her own dresses, with the old coat thrown over her arm. She didn’t dare to put it on in the house in case she was seen. If that happened, then questions would be asked. Her hand was on the latch of the front door when a voice called from the top of the stairs.

‘Eugenie! Where do you think you are going at this unearthly hour?’

Jenny stopped as if she’d walked into a wall. Aunt Gertrude! She turned slowly, holding the coat behind her, and gave what she hoped was an innocent smile. ‘I’m going to post a letter to my friends at school,’ she lied.

‘The servants will do that for you.’

‘I’ll enjoy the walk, Aunt. We always had a long walk before breakfast at Templeton.’

‘Disgusting habit,’ Gertrude snorted. ‘Well, if you must, then put on your coat. Albert won’t want a sickly house guest.

‘Of course Aunt Gertrude,’ she replied meekly. Then she shot out the door, slamming it shut in her haste, and ran down the street, not stopping until she was out of sight of the house. Only then did she pause long enough to put on the coat, as she leant against a wall and waited for her heartbeat to stop pounding in her ears. What a fright! On the rare occasions her aunt had stayed over, she’d never left her bed before noon.

Jenny drew in several gulps of air, welcoming the reviving coldness that filled her lungs, then headed up the road. If her aunt were staying, she’d have to sneak in the servants’ entrance when she got back.