‘I suppose you’re right.’ But Sunday was far from satisfied. Now she would have Maggie to worry about as well as Kitty!

An awkward silence settled between them then and Ben turned to leave and make his way round to the stables. Things had got no better between him and Sunday, and although she was always polite to him, the young man felt that she was holding him at arm’s length. Perhaps it would be better if I were to clear off an’ all, he thought. At least then Sunday and Tom might stand a chance of regaining their old closeness without him being there as a constant reminder of Tom’s brief affair. It was something to think about.

‘Now eat lightly,’ Ruby advised Kitty on the night of her debut. ‘It doesn’t do to try and sing on a full stomach. Max and I will take you out for supper when it’s all over if everything goes well.’

Kitty couldn’t have eaten much even had she wanted to because her stomach was in knots. Miss Fox watching her so closely didn’t improve her nerves either.

‘You know you don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want to, dear,’ she said, earning a glare from Ruby.

‘Why of course she does, Foxy. Do you have any idea at all how much time and money Max has put into setting this evening up? He’d be devastated if she backed out now.’

‘It’s quite all right – I have no intention of backing out,’ Kitty told them both and Ruby seemed to relax a little as she loaded her plate with crispy roast pork and vegetables.

Kitty was glad when the meal was over and scurried away to her room to steal a few quiet minutes before Max arrived to drive them to the club.

He arrived promptly at seven o’clock and chucked her under the chin. ‘All ready are you, my dear? I’m sure you’re going to knock them dead!’

Kitty managed a weak smile as she and Ruby followed him outside. Max skilfully manoeuvred the car through the London streets, and as they entered Soho, Kitty frowned. It didn’t appear to be too nice an area but then the club would probably be all right. Groups of heavily made-up women were standing on street corners and they all smiled at Max as he drove past them, much to Ruby’s disgust. Eventually he pulled up in front of a small club. The poster he’d had made was pinned up on a noticeboard outside beneath a sheet of glass, and above the doors was a sign which was drunkenly leaning to one side with THE PALM BEACH CLUB written upon it, but the place to Kitty’s dismay looked rather run down. She followed Max and Ruby inside, clutching the huge bag with her new gown inside and found that the interior didn’t look any better than the outside. The glass in the windows was grimy and the wallpaper was peeling in places.