Of course he was right, but I only used the telephone in emergencies, as Fig objected to paying the bill and I had no money to do so. I realized it would have been more sensible today, but actually it was human company I craved. It’s awfully lonely camping out in a big house without even my maid to talk to and I’m the sort of person who likes company. So I set out from Sloane Square and eventually made my way to Belinda’s mews without further incident, only to find it was as I suspected and she wasn’t home.

I tried to retrace my steps to Belgrave Square, really wishing I’d taken the policeman’s advice and gone straight home. Then through the fog I heard a noise I recognized—a train whistle. So some trains were still running in spite of the fog, and Victoria Station was straight ahead of me. If I found the station I’d be able to orient myself easily enough. Suddenly I came upon a line of people, mostly men, standing dejectedly, scarves over their mouths, hands thrust into their pockets. I couldn’t imagine what they were doing until I smelled the boiled cabbage odor and realized that they were lining up for the soup kitchen at the station.

That was when I had a brilliant idea. I could volunteer to help out at the soup kitchen. If I volunteered there the family would approve, in fact the queen herself had suggested that I do some charity work, and at least I’d get one square meal a day until Binky and Fig arrived. I hadn’t been able to afford decent food for ages. In fact there was a horrid empty sick feeling in my stomach at this moment. I started to walk past the line to try to find somebody in charge when a hand shot out and grabbed me.

“ ’Ere, where do you think you’re going?” a big, burly man demanded. “Trying to cut in, weren’t you? You go to the end and take your turn like the rest of us.”

“But I was only going to speak to the people who run the kitchen,” I said. “I was going to volunteer here.”

“Garn—I’ve heard every excuse in the book. Go on, to the back of the queue.”

I turned away, mortified, and was about to slink off home when the man behind him stepped out. “Look at her, Harry. She’s all skin and bone and anyone can see she’s a lady, fallen on hard times. You come in front of me, ducks. You look like you’re about to pass out if you don’t get a good meal soon.”