Now Kitty swung her legs out of bed and yawned as she reached for her robe. ‘I have to go out,’ she answered in reply to Maggie’s question. ‘Richard will be expecting me and I can’t let him down.’

Maggie nodded without comment. A few days ago, she had found the tiny bottle of vinegar and the sponges in Kitty’s bag while she was changing the contents from that bag to another – and the sight of them had appalled her. Maggie knew what they were used for. Her own father had once forced her to use the same form of birth control. Thankfully, up to now the bottle was full which meant, Maggie hoped, that Richard hadn’t as yet taken advantage of her friend. But how long would it be before he did, she wondered. Not that there was anything she could do to prevent it, except to be there for Kitty.

It was very frustrating and sometimes Maggie wished that Kitty would just board a train and go home to Treetops. At least Sunday and Tom had kept her safe there. She herself would be out of a job, of course, if ever Kitty did decide to do that, for Maggie knew that she would never return to her home town. There was nothing there for her but unhappy memories of the abuse she had suffered, and the constant fear and misery of life with Stella and Victor Dawes. However, since being taken on at Brunswick Villa, she had been saving her wages religiously each week, and should Kitty ever decide to go home, Maggie felt confident that she would be able to find another job in London now.

There was a tap at the door then and Miss Fox entered the room just as Kitty disappeared off into the bathroom.

‘She’s up then,’ the woman said in her usual forthright way. ‘I thought she looked a bit peaky after last night’s performance and I wondered how she was today?’

‘She hasn’t said much,’ Maggie answered as Miss Fox stepped across to the purple velvet box on Kitty’s dressing table. She flicked it open and stared down at the sapphire pendant on a thin gold chain nestling inside it. It was from one of the finest jewellers in Bond Street.

‘It was left in her dressing room by one of her admirers last night,’ Maggie told her and the older woman shook her head.

‘She must have a whole lot of such baubles by now,’ she sighed. ‘It’s just not healthy for a young girl to have her head turned like this. Kitty might act the lady but underneath she’s nothing but a young girl, and I do worry about her.’

‘So do I,’ Maggie confided. ‘I’ve just asked her to stay in today and rest but she says she has to go to Mr Fitzherbert’s again.’

‘Hmm, he’s another one I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw him.’ Miss Fox snapped shut the box containing the pendant as if she’d like to shut Richard away with it. ‘No good can come of Kitty spending so much time with an older, more experienced man like him. I really don’t know what he’s playing at, but it will end in tears, you mark my words.’