‘A puppy!’ Ruby sounded appalled. She couldn’t abide the nasty little things, but then if it kept the girl quiet it would be worth putting up with it, for now at least.

Unable to control her rage, Miss Fox flung the door open and marched into the room. She didn’t like the sound of this at all.

‘Just what is going on?’ she demanded as two pairs of eyes turned to stare at her.

‘Going on? I don’t know what you mean, Foxy.’ Ruby fluttered her eyelashes, the picture of innocence. ‘Richard here was just saying that Kitty didn’t seem so keen to do her modelling last night, that’s all, and after he’s worked so hard to set it all up for her and get such important contacts too.’

‘In case you had forgotten, Kitty is not yet eighteen, she’s still just a child,’ Miss Fox rapped out. ‘And if I find out that either of you are trying to force her to do something against her will—’

‘Oh, don’t be so silly,’ Ruby interrupted with a wounded look on her face. ‘As if I would do anything to hurt her. You should give me more credit, Foxy darling.’

Miss Fox wavered. Ruby was very convincing so perhaps she had just got the wrong end of the stick?

Richard meanwhile beat another hasty retreat. ‘It’s time I was off,’ he said and after nodding towards the two ladies, he disappeared. Miss Fox shut the door behind him before rounding on Ruby.

‘I reckon it’s about time you put your daughter’s interests first,’ she said. ‘The poor lass must wonder why you ever bothered uprooting her – and if I find out that you only want her for the money she can earn—’

‘Oh, Foxy, there you go again!’ Ruby dramatically ran her hand across her forehead. ‘You’re giving me a headache by keeping going on at me. Of course, I love Kitty dearly. It’s just that I’m having to learn how to be a mother and it isn’t easy.’

Miss Fox felt slightly mollified. Admittedly, it couldn’t be easy for her. After all, until Kitty had arrived, Ruby had never had to think of anyone but herself and she had been used to being the centre of attention.

‘Well, just think on what I’ve said!’ With that Miss Fox sailed from the room like a ship in full rig. No doubt she should go and sort out some sleeping arrangements for the latest addition to the household before she had the housekeeper moaning about it. As if she didn’t have enough to do!

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Finally, late in July 1914, Sunday and Tom left the children at Treetops in the capable hands of Lavinia and caught the train to London. Sunday had given her husband no peace since seeing the newspaper report on Kitty, and at last they were on their way to search for her. Tom also hoped that a few days alone together would allow them to regain the closeness they had once shared and he was in good spirits, but Sunday’s thoughts were all focused on tracking Kitty down. After all, she reasoned, if the Kitty she had read about in the paper was indeed their Kitty, it shouldn’t be so hard, surely?