‘I think we need to get you in a more relaxed mood. Let’s have a little drink,’ he said, crossing to a cut-glass decanter. He poured out two glasses and handed her one. ‘I think you’ll enjoy this. It’s a very nice wine, not too strong.’

Kitty eyed it suspiciously. ‘Isn’t it a little early in the day to be drinking wine?’ She could still clearly remember the raging hangover after her performance at the theatre the evening before.

Richard chuckled. ‘It’s never too early in the day to drink fine wine and this one is particularly pleasant. Go on – just try it.’

Cautiously she did as she was asked and was surprised to find that it was indeed very nice.

‘That’s better,’ he told her approvingly when she’d drained the glass. ‘I can see you beginning to loosen up already. Now lean back and throw your arm behind your head as if you’re just about to take a nice little nap.’

After the wine, it was surprisingly easy to do. In fact, she felt so mellow she was sure she was in danger of taking the nap properly.

‘That’s it, lovely. Now turn a little towards me and move your chin up … that’s it. Capital!’ She could hear the camera clicking every so often and after a time she began to enjoy herself. After all, there was no one there but Richard to see her so she reasoned there was no need to feel self-conscious. A few times he came over to tease her hair or adjust the bodice of her gown, and she let him do so without demur. He was the photographer and he obviously knew what he was doing. At last he straightened and smiled, then poured them another drink.

‘Excellent!’ he told her. ‘I’m sure there will be some beauties in amongst that lot.’

‘Do you think we might start modelling the clothes properly now we’ve had a rehearsal?’ she asked innocently and he roared with laughter as he sat beside her and draped his arm across her shoulders.

‘Oh, my dear little Kitty Nightingale. You are so very refreshing,’ he told her, then, ‘Yes, I think we can start modelling the clothes properly very soon now, but perhaps one more rehearsal, do you think?’

She nodded as she started on the second of glass of wine he handed her. It tasted very fruity so she was sure that it couldn’t be very strong. And what if it was? I’m almost grown up now, aren’t I? she asked herself as she snuggled into his broad chest. She could feel his heart beating and hers seemed to be beating in tune with it. And then he gently took her glass from her and began to kiss her. She kissed him back eagerly and eventually she felt his strong hand close over the bodice of her gown and a little moment of panic made her stiffen.

‘It’s all right, sweetheart, I would never do anything to hurt you,’ he told her throatily, barely moving his lips from hers and so she relaxed again and gave herself up to the moment. It was only when she felt his hands fiddling with the buttons on the back of her dress that she breathlessly pulled away. She longed to give herself to him completely but Sunday’s warnings were echoing in the back of her head. A man and woman should not lie together until they are wed otherwise an illegitimate child might be the result.