‘Sorry,’ she apologised as she bent to scoop the wriggling pup into her arms. Knowing how much Ruby disliked dogs she did try to keep Tallulah away from her, but was not always successful, as now.

‘Can’t you take her out into the back garden?’ Ruby enquired peevishly.

‘I was just about to, but she was too quick for me.’ Kitty smiled at Max, then quickly departed. She took Tallulah out into the garden every day to see young Arthur now and like Kitty he was besotted with the little dog.

Once they had gone Ruby frowned as a thought occurred to her. ‘Do you think Richard Fitzherbert will go to war?’

‘I think it’s highly unlikely that he’ll volunteer – let’s put it that way,’ Max answered sceptically.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and they went on to speak of other things until Max left to keep an appointment with one of his clients.

Kitty was outside with Arthur by then and the two of them were laughing as they watched Tallulah bounding about the garden. She was like a little spring lamb and Kitty couldn’t imagine being without her now. Tallulah had become her confidante, for as close as she was to Maggie there were some things that Kitty just couldn’t confide to her. Late at night when she had been entertaining one of Richard’s friends she would lie on her bed and pour her heart out to Tallulah, who seemed to understand the deep sense of shame that Kitty was experiencing. The little dog would lick away her tears and snuggle close to her as Kitty sobbed into her soft fur.

‘But I know he loves me really, despite what he makes me do,’ Kitty would whisper to her, trying to convince herself. ‘And someday soon he’ll ask me to marry him and I’ll be able to put all this behind me.’ She loved Richard so much that she had to tell herself this, otherwise she feared that she might lose the will to live.

Maggie joined them then to inform Kitty, ‘The dress you ordered yesterday has just been delivered. I’ve unpacked it and hung it in your room.’

‘Thank you, Maggie.’ Kitty had treated herself to a dress in the very latest fashion, with a dropped waist and a straight skirt that reached to the ankles. However, the new dress was the last thing on her mind at present. Like Ruby, she was concerned that Richard might think of joining the Army. The Secretary of State for War, Field Marshall Earl Kitchener, had had posters stating YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU plastered all across the city, and in central London alone the response at the recruiting offices had been so successful that mounted police had been deployed to hold the crowds in check. What if Richard were to take it into his head to join? She decided she would speak to him about his intentions that very night. He had promised her that this evening would be just for the two of them and she was looking forward to it. However, just before six o’clock Richard telephoned and left a message with the maid telling Kitty that he had been unexpectedly called away for the night and so unfortunately would have to cancel their arrangement.