‘There’s none so blind as those who will not see,’ Miss Fox said tightly. ‘I wonder if you’ll be singing the same tune if the Germans send those Zeppelin airships over here, emptying bombs on us. And there’s talk of their warships coming over here, and all. London will be a prime target, what with all the docks. Perhaps we should think of renting somewhere in the country till all this is over? We could do with somewhere smaller now anyway, now that you’re not earning. I’ve said it before and now I’ll say it again: if we had somewhere smaller, we wouldn’t need so many staff.’

Ruby had been preening in the gilt mirror that hung above the fireplace but now she turned, looking appalled. ‘Move from Brunswick Villa? Live in something smaller? Why ever would we want to do that?’

‘For all the reasons I’ve just stated – and because we have a young girl upstairs who needs protecting and looking out for. Surely you wouldn’t want to put Kitty at risk? In case you’ve forgotten, she’s your daughter – though no one would guess it, the way you treat her.’

Ruby’s face turned ugly as she placed her hands on her ample hips and glared back at the older woman.

‘First of all, we can still perfectly well afford to live here.’

‘How? If you’ve no money coming in?’ Miss Fox spat.

Ruby’s eyes sparked with malice. ‘Never you mind. It’s enough for you to know that we are very comfortable! And as for Kitty, how do you think she would react if we were to try and move her away from Richard? She’s totally besotted with him!’

‘True, I’ll agree with you there, but what bothers me is where all the money we need to stay here is coming from? These so-called modelling shoots he’s got her doing? There’s something fishy about those sessions if you ask me. Why don’t we ever see any pictures of her in the fashion magazines?’

‘Because she appears in magazines abroad,’ Ruby blustered, but she knew that Foxy could tell she was lying. The woman had always been able to read her like a book. And then when her companion continued to stare at her suspiciously Ruby lost her temper and waggled a finger at her. ‘How dare you question my care of my daughter! I think it might be a good idea if you remembered your place if you wish to continue living here. I could always get another maid, you know!’

Miss Fox visibly flinched as if she had been slapped, then drawing herself up to her full height she rasped, ‘You wouldn’t last two minutes without me behind you. Look at you! But at least I know where I stand now.’ With that she sailed from the room with what dignity she could muster.

Upstairs, Maggie and Kitty were discussing the war news too, oblivious to the row that had just taken place downstairs.

‘I nipped to the market yesterday,’ Maggie told Kitty conversationally as she dressed her friend’s hair. ‘And I was shocked to see how few young men there are about now. It’s frightening, isn’t it – to think what might happen to them, I mean. And it’s no wonder that they’ve closed most of the theatres and music halls down now. There aren’t that many young couples about any more.’