Tom hastily stepped in there. ‘I dare say we could take you to the railway station to meet Miss Fox there, if she tells us what time the train leaves and if you’re quite sure that is what you want.’

Kitty glanced at the woman, who nodded.

‘That would be most helpful, thank you. Our train leaves at 3.30 p.m. so that should give Kitty plenty of time to pack, although she doesn’t need to bring too much. I’m sure her mother will want to take her shopping for some new things.’

‘Is she rich?’ There was so much that Kitty wanted to ask but she didn’t like to in front of Sunday.

The woman smiled. ‘Let’s just say she is comfortably off,’ she suggested and with that Kitty had to be content.

Satisfied that she had done what she had come to do, Miss Fox rose then and held her hand out to Sunday, who took it tremulously. She daren’t say so much as a word for fear of bursting into tears.

‘Thank you for all you’ve done for the girl, Mrs Branning,’ Miss Fox said. ‘I know her mother appreciates it. And I must say, from what I’ve seen of her she’s a credit to you. But now I’ll wish you goodbye and leave young Kitty here to get on with her packing. Good day to you.’

Tom escorted her from the room as Sunday was left trembling like a leaf in the wind. It was then that the enormity of what had just happened hit Kitty and she too began to shake. She was going to meet her mother!

‘I, err … I’d better go and tell Ben what’s happened,’ she said, and Sunday nodded as the girl left the room.

‘You’ll never guess who that was!’ Kitty told Ben breathlessly when she burst into the basement kitchen. He was still seated at the table where she had left him and he looked at her, eager to know what had made her look so happy.

‘It was a lady called Miss Fox. She lives in London – with my mother – and tomorrow I am going to live with her – my mother! Can you believe it?’

Both Mrs Cotton the cook, who was sitting in the chair at the side of the fire with a cup of tea in her hand, and Ben stared at Kitty as if she had lost her senses so hurriedly she told them what had transpired. When she was done, Ben whistled through his teeth.

‘Crikey, what with what’s happened to me and now you finding your real mother, it’s hard to guess what might happen next. But I’m happy for you, Kitty – although I’ll miss you. We all will.’

Kitty’s smile vanished as she stared at the dear familiar faces. They had all been her family up until now and she knew that she would miss them too. Ben in particular. But then this was an opportunity not to be missed. It wasn’t every day that you were offered the chance to live with your real family, so she knew that she must grasp it with both hands.