Kitty’s eyes were on stalks. ‘Is that my mother’s name – Ruby? And where does she live?’

‘Yes, Ruby Smith is her name and she has a fine house in Chelsea which your father bought for her,’ the woman informed her solemnly. ‘Your mother is a well-known singer in the music halls. She’s sung with the best during her time on stage and that’s the truth. Her stage name is Ruby Darling.’

‘Oh!’ To Sunday’s horror, Kitty appeared excited. ‘And you say I look like her?’

The woman nodded. ‘The spit out of her mouth and that’s the truth, though she’s a bit older now, of course, and not in the best of health. She’d like you to come back with me on the train and live with her so that you can both get to know each other before it’s too late. But not tonight, of course. I’ve got myself a room in a lodging house in town and I’ll be going back to London tomorrow afternoon if you’ve a mind to come with me.’

‘I think Kitty needs some more time to make up her mind. This isn’t a decision to be made at the drop of a hat,’ Sunday butted in desperately, but already she saw the stars in the girl’s eyes and knew that she was losing her.

Feeling torn in two, Kitty looked from Sunday to Miss Fox, then taking a deep breath she said shakily, ‘Sunday, forgive me but this is a chance to meet my real mother, so I feel I must take it. You do understand, don’t you? It’s what I’ve always dreamed of, and the chance might never come again.’

Sunday felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach as she stared at the girl from stricken eyes. She had loved her as her own since the moment she had clapped eyes on her as a tiny baby – and yet she did understand, for during the years that she and her own birth mother had been parted, hadn’t she too dreamed of being reunited with her, one glorious day? Even so, she wasn’t prepared to let the girl go without a fight.

‘How do we know you’re who you say you are?’ she challenged Miss Fox. ‘You haven’t even given us a proper address.’

The woman said kindly, feeling her pain, ‘But I’ve already shown you documents to prove that I am who I say I am, Mrs Branning. Kitty is returning home at last. The address is hers to give you. I’m sure she’ll forward it to you just as soon as she’s settled in.’

Tom placed his hand gently on his wife’s arm, and seeing the warning in his eyes, Sunday felt deflated.

‘You have to let Kitty make up her own mind, lass,’ he told her.

She could only nod; words failed her for now as Kitty turned back to the woman with that same excited gleam in her eyes.

‘So what will happen tomorrow?’ the girl asked.