‘Then perhaps it’s time you went to see a doctor?’

‘No,’ the girl replied. ‘I think it’s time I spoke to Richard.’

‘Perhaps you should,’ Maggie agreed as she helped Kitty to sit down in her bedroom. Her friend had lost weight and there were dark circles beneath her lovely eyes. Maggie had suspected for some time that Kitty might be carrying a child but hadn’t dared to mention it, but now it could be ignored no longer.

‘What do you think Richard will say?’

‘There’s not much he can say, is there?’ Kitty sighed. ‘He’ll just have to marry me, won’t he?’ It was many weeks since she had lain with anyone apart from Richard; the war had seen her suitors sent to fight or to live very different lives from before.

Maggie didn’t answer although she couldn’t really see him doing that unless someone held a gun to his head. Her greatest fear was what would happen to Kitty if he abandoned her. Even now she still thought the sun rose and set with him, and would not have a bad word said against him.

‘Then if that’s what you plan to do, perhaps it should be done as soon as possible?’ Maggie said sensibly. ‘You must be about three months pregnant already, which means you’ll be showing soon, so best get it over with and see what he says, eh?’

Kitty nodded. She had tried to convince herself that she’d missed her courses simply because she was a little run down, but she couldn’t deny the truth any longer. And although the last pregnancy had ended in miscarriage, she longed for this child, as it was Richard’s. They had been together now for several years; surely it was time for them to settle down? ‘I’ll do it today – in fact, I’ll go round there this very morning,’ she said resolutely and began to get ready.

It was only half past ten when she arrived at Richard’s house feeling rather apprehensive. How would he react to being told that he was going to be a father? she wondered.

The maid looked at her askance when she answered her knock on the door and muttered, ‘Oh … good mornin’, miss. I don’t reckon the master’s expectin’ you. He’s still abed. Would you care to come back later?’

‘No, that’s all right. It’s important that I see him. I’ll wait in the studio. Just pop up and tell him I’m here, would you?’ Kitty said as she began to take her gloves off. She hurried along the hallway, let herself into the studio to wait for Richard and made herself at home, leaving the door open behind her.

Some minutes passed before he appeared in his dressing robe with his hair standing on end and looking none too pleased.

‘What’s brought you here so early?’ he said rudely as he stomped past her to reach the cigarettes, and she could have sworn as he passed that she got a whiff of perfume. It’s probably just his cologne, she told herself as he lit a cigarette and blew a plume of smoke into the air.