Connie sighed, sinking further into the chair, turning her face to the heat of the fire. She would miss her. The ache in her belly had increased. She arranged the ends of the shawl more effectively to cover herself and tried not to show her discomfort. Maybe she should tell Eileen about the baby and her plans to go to Paris. Eileen wouldn’t be shocked. She’d come all the way from America so she had to know something of the world.

She was talking about Leonard. ‘Never stay with a man who wants to control you,’ she said. ‘Freedom is everything and you need to fight for it.’

But what if you couldn’t be free? What if you were captured by circumstance because you had no money, or you had lost a loved one, or were pregnant when you were only seventeen?

Connie imagined the words on her lips, but somehow, when she opened her mouth, they just wouldn’t come. Instead, she told Eileen about Socks, asking her to look out for the kittens, at least until she left for America.

‘Yes, of course I will, darling,’ Eileen replied, ‘but where are you going?’

‘France.’

Eileen’s eyes widened.

‘Paris,’ Connie added. ‘I’m going to see my boyfriend.’

‘That’s very brave,’ said Eileen gently. ‘Does your father know?’

‘Yes,’ she lied.

‘And he doesn’t mind?’

Connie shook her head.

‘Well, that’s modern of him and independent of you. Well done.’

The baby kicked and Connie felt another urge to confide, but then somebody hammered on the door and Eileen leapt up. ‘If that’s Leonard,’ she said, ‘I’ll . . .’

It wasn’t, but it was a friend of his, and Connie suddenly felt awkward and unwelcome as Eileen invited him in. She introduced him as Leonard’s pal, but she clearly knew him well too, and even though there didn’t seem to be anything between them, Connie was uncomfortably aware of how young and gauche she must appear. As soon as she could, she left them to it and headed out into the garden.

The flowers on the magnolia tree were past their best. The petals were brown-tinged and drooping at the edges. Connie felt the pain again – sharper now, more prolonged. The sensation grew and she put her hand to her belly until it disappeared. Trying to ignore her misgivings, she stepped through to the end of the garden. Victor had done a good job of flattening the earth.