Eleanor made me feel like a princess. Her attention was like the beam from a lighthouse. When I followed her over to the bank of cupboards that ran along one wall, I felt as if I was walking on cloud.

She handed me a crisp white shirt. ‘You can change in the bathroom if you want. I’ll see you downstairs.’

The bathroom was tiled with marble and had a large tub in the corner with gold taps, and a mother-of-pearl shell to the side of them. The shell contained a number of soft coloured balls which were full of scented oil, as I’d discovered once after squeezing one too hard. I looked at myself in the mirror. My make-up was similar to Eleanor’s, though the colour on her cheeks not as pronounced and she’d left my lips pale. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined I’d look like this. I struck a pose, put my hand on the side of my head and pouted like one of the girls in Jago’s magazine. ‘Max, darling,’ I mouthed, as I buttoned up the white shirt. ‘Would you open a bottle of champagne?’

I walked down the staircase with as much grace as I could manage. My hand trailed the banister. I’d heard the expression I feel a million dollars, but had never known what it really meant until that moment.

‘Have you done many parties?’ Eleanor asked as I joined her in the kitchen.

‘Sorry?’

Shopping bags lined the kitchen worktop and Eleanor topped up her glass from a bottle of wine on the side. ‘Doesn’t matter. Right – first job is to unpack the bags and put the bits and pieces away. Then the next is to boil and peel the quail eggs. Do you think you can manage that?’

‘I… I’m sorry… I don’t understand?’

‘What? Boiling eggs?’

‘No… I mean… I thought…’ The air in the kitchen grew hot and heavy.

‘Oh dear,’ Eleanor said, dragging the words out. ‘Did Edith not explain you’d be working?’ She sighed. ‘Goodness, she’s useless. I did nag her to make sure she fully brief you.’ Eleanor then pressed her hands together as if she were praying. ‘God, please, please, tell me you can cook, Tamsyn. I’m sure you can. You lot are so much more capable than us.’

I felt as if I’d been kicked in the stomach. ‘Cook?’ I repeated weakly.

‘Yes,’ she smiled. ‘Cook. And a bit of waitressing and washing-up. I did ask Edie to talk to you about it.’