A gentle hand squeezing her shoulder brought her starting awake, and she found herself staring up into Richard’s face. Her head was throbbing and she felt totally disorientated. And then she remembered the repulsive little man who had been present but a glance around the room assured her that he was gone. ‘What happened?’

Richard smiled as he helped her into a sitting position. ‘I’m afraid the wine you drank made you go out like a light so I postponed the shoot with Mr Johnston until another day.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ she croaked, wondering how half a glass of wine could have affected her so badly.

He waved her apologies aside. ‘Don’t worry about it, my lovely. I’ve asked Millie to make you a pot of strong coffee. Don’t forget you have a performance this evening, otherwise I would have let you sleep.’

‘Goodness, you’re right.’ Kitty felt so ill at that moment that she was wondering how she was going to manage it but once she had drunk two large cups of coffee she started to feel human again and eventually went behind the screen to get dressed.

Once she was ready, Richard escorted her outside and hailed a cab and as she sank back against the seat she felt strangely let down. In the beginning, he had always run her home in his car and after what had happened between them that day she would have expected him to be a little more gentlemanly. But then he probably has another client to see, she consoled herself and closed her eyes against the dull pain throbbing behind them.

‘Where have you been? I’ve been frantic with worry,’ Maggie greeted her the second she set foot through the door and Kitty groaned. A lecture, even a well-meaning one, was the last thing she needed at present. ‘We shall have to leave for the music hall in less than an hour and you haven’t even started to get ready yet.’ She stopped then, and peering at Kitty she said very matter-of-factly, ‘You look absolutely awful. What have you been doing?’

Kitty flushed. ‘I haven’t been doing anything out of the ordinary,’ she replied guiltily. ‘I just have a bit of a headache, that’s all.’

‘Then we’d better get a powder down you and try to get you right for this evening.’ And taking Kitty’s elbow, the other girl led her up the stairs.

Chapter Thirty-Six

It was mid-July 1914 and Cissie had just returned to Primrose Cottage after spending the day at Treetops when a knock came on the open kitchen door. Humming merrily to herself she turned to see who it was and then froze on the spot. A younger version of Albert Pinnegar stood watching her and with a shock and with no need for words, Cissie knew that she was staring at her long-lost son. She had often wondered what he looked like. Had he taken after her or his hated father? And now she knew.

‘Y-you must be Hugh.’ Her voice came out as a croak as the man removed his hat and inclined his head and she found herself thinking that unlike his father he had manners at least.