‘I was thinking last night how strange it is that Sunday and Tom haven’t been in touch with you,’ she commented and Kitty nodded in agreement.

‘I dare say they’re too busy looking after the rest of the children in their care,’ she answered airily but deep down she still felt hurt. Admittedly she had known that they didn’t want her to leave them, but she had never dreamed that they would ignore her once she had gone. It was like a punishment.

Sometimes Kitty questioned why Ruby had bothered after all that time. She didn’t even want her daughter to address her as ‘Mother’ and certainly didn’t go out of her way to spend any time with her and get to know her, but then perhaps her conscience had finally pricked her now that she was getting older. On a couple of occasions, Kitty had tentatively asked about her father, but each time Ruby had changed the subject or closed up like a clam. Miss Fox had done the same. It was very frustrating but then Kitty was aware that a whole new world was opening up for her now, so she should be grateful to her mother for that, at least. Kitty was beginning to enjoy life in London. It was so different to the one she had led back in the Midlands where the highlight of the week had been a trip into the little market town where they lived. And of course, there was the undreamed of career that was opening up to her.

Sighing like a cat that had got the cream she settled back against the pillows and nibbled at the toast that Maggie had brought up for her. It wouldn’t do to go putting too much weight on now that she was in the public eye, so she would have to watch her diet. Maggie frowned when she returned the half-eaten slice to the tray but Kitty ignored her as she swung her legs out of bed and stretched. Maggie was kind, and Kitty was pleased that she had been able to help her, but she was so … Kitty sought in her mind to find a way to describe the girl. Plain as a pikestaff and boring. Yes, that was an apt description, whereas she herself was beautiful. Richard and Max had told her so and it appeared that the public were in agreement with them, so from now on she intended to make the most of it!

Chapter Twenty-Nine

‘Ah, here you are at last, my darling girl. Come in, come in,’ Richard greeted her when Kitty arrived at his studio early that afternoon. ‘And looking as beautiful as ever.’ He took her hand and gently kissed each of her fingers in turn, sending tingles all up her arm and hot colour rushing into her already rosy cheeks.

He was dressed very casually in a shirt that was partially unbuttoned, showing off his hairy chest, and Kitty found it hard not to keep looking at him. The doors into the garden were open and she could hear the birds singing. It was hard to believe that they were in a busy part of London.