She was becoming accustomed to being waited on now though, and was actually beginning to quite enjoy it.

‘So what sort of clothes did this Richard say you might be modelling then?’ Maggie asked once they were alone. It was clearly preying on her mind.

‘I’m not sure yet,’ Kitty replied patiently. ‘Dresses and such, I should imagine. Oh, it’ll be lovely to be decked out in the very latest fashions and Richard says—’

‘You seem to be very in awe of this Richard. How old is he?’ Maggie interrupted as she hung Kitty’s coat neatly away in the wardrobe.

Kitty was exasperated. ‘Well, I don’t know! I haven’t asked him. About thirtyish, I should imagine.’

‘Good. He’s too old to be romantically interested in you then.’

Kitty flushed as she sat at her dressing table and tidied her hair in the mirror. ‘He’s not that much older than me,’ she muttered sullenly and alarm bells went off in Maggie’s head. ‘In London you often see younger women on the arms of older men.’

‘Well, if you ask me that’s rather dangerous.’

‘What do you mean?’

Maggie shrugged. ‘Older men prey on younger women and I’d hate him to take advantage of you.’

‘Oh, Maggie, you sound just like Miss Fox,’ Kitty sighed. ‘On a different subject, I think I might get changed for dinner. Why don’t you go do the same? You could wear one of your new dresses.’

But the other girl shook her head, saying, ‘If you don’t need me for anything, I think I’ll pop down to the kitchen and see if Cook needs any help.’

‘But you’re not paid to do that sort of work, you’re paid to be my companion,’ Kitty argued.

‘Even so, you know what they say, idle hands make work for the devil and I’d rather keep busy.’ And with that Maggie left, leaving Kitty to gaze after her.

The following morning, after Madame Sophie had gone, Kitty ran upstairs. Maggie was laying her clothes out ready for the evening’s performance – although Kitty wouldn’t change into them until she was in her dressing room at the theatre. Max had promised to take them there in his car and Kitty was starry-eyed.

‘You’ll have to help me with my stage make-up. Have you ever done anything like that before?’ she asked Maggie.

Maggie snorted. ‘When would I have needed anything like that back in Witherley? The furthest we ever ventured was to church or into town occasionally. It shouldn’t be a problem though. How hard can it be to put a bit of make-up on?’

‘But it’s not ordinary make-up. It’s very thick and looks quite horrible close to, although it looks good to the audience under the stage lights.’

‘I’m sure we’ll manage.’ Maggie folded Kitty’s new gown carefully into a long clothes bag then told her, ‘That’s about it then. We’re all ready for later, but what do you want to do until then?’