They were all laughing, but the fright earlier was still haunting Jenny. When midnight arrived, they toasted the New Year and she smiled, sipping her lemonade. Being so young they wouldn’t allow her anything stronger and she couldn’t tell them that she had been allowed a little wine at home. They treated her kindly and she hated deceiving them. There had been many times over the last few weeks when she’d wanted to confide in Edna, but she didn’t dare risk it. Gossip spread at an alarming rate from household to household.

‘Don’t look so serious, Jenny.’ Mrs Peters held up her glass. ‘Are you still feeling rough?’

‘I’m fine, thank you.’ She gazed at the smiling faces and wanted to weep. They cared about her, yet she was lying to them. It made her most uncomfortable to have to watch what she said all the time. With practice the London accent had improved, coming more naturally, though she still found the work very hard. It was only the thought of Greaves that kept her gritting her teeth and getting on with it.

After a vigorous dance to ‘Knees Up, Mother Brown’, they cleared up and went to their beds at twelve thirty. There would still be an early start. That never changed.

Jenny sat on the bed to kick off her shoes, then saw Edna looking at her with a strange expression on her face.

‘What was that all about, Jen?’

‘Sorry?’

‘You know what I’m talking about. You wasn’t ill. Something or someone in the dining room sent you into a panic.’

When Jenny opened her mouth to deny it, Edna held up her hand to stop her. ‘It’s no good you trying to fool me. I’ve known from the start that you’re not what you seem. I only had to see the state of your hands that first week to know you wasn’t used to hard work.’

Oh, Lord, and she thought she’d been doing quite well. She shook her head and looked pleadingly at her friend. ‘I can’t tell you, Edna. I wish I could.’

‘It’s all right, we all have secrets. But will you answer a couple of questions?’

‘If I can.’

‘Was there someone upstairs who would have known you?’

Jenny nodded.

‘That means you’re hiding from someone.’

She nodded again.

‘Are you running from the law?’

‘No!’ Jenny was on her feet in alarm, the lino on the floor feeling like ice on her bare feet. ‘I haven’t done anything wrong. Honest.’

‘I believe you. So what happens if they find you?’

She sat down again on the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms around herself and moaned, ‘They mustn’t!’

‘Last question. Is it family trouble?’

‘Yes. I wish I could tell you, but I can’t.’