Kitty glanced at her mother for permission and when the woman gave an almost imperceptible nod she rose and followed Miss Fox from the room. When they’d gone, Ruby reached for the box of fine chocolates she had been enjoying before they arrived.

As Kitty followed Miss Fox up a wide curving staircase she couldn’t help but feel a little flat. Her mother was every bit as beautiful as she had always imagined she would be, but her greeting had lacked real affection. Kitty had always dreamed that when they finally met, there would be tears and hugs – and the fact that her mother had asked her to call her Ruby or ‘Aunt’ had also hurt, although she supposed she could understand the reasons behind it. It would be very difficult for Ruby to present everyone she knew with a daughter they had never even known existed, whereas presenting them with a niece was far more believable.

They reached a long landing and turning to the left, Miss Fox threw open a door and said, ‘This will be your room, dear. I hope you will find it comfortable.’

Kitty’s eyes shone with pleasure as she looked around. This was truly a room fit for a princess. The wallpaper was pink and white, the heavily fringed curtains were a deep pink, even the rugs on the floor were pink – but the bedspread on the magnificent four-poster bed was patterned with roses. There was a dressing table boasting a large mirror with a dainty little stool in front of it, and also an armoire and two chests of drawers in the same wood. Kitty thought it might be rosewood but wasn’t sure. She loved it nonetheless. The same pink curtains that hung at the window framed the bed and it was just the prettiest room she had ever seen.

‘I think you’ll find Mabel has unpacked your things and put everything away for you,’ Miss Fox told her.

Kitty looked shocked. ‘But I could have done that myself.’

‘No need to while you’re here, young lady. That’s what we have maids for,’ Miss Fox told her with a grin.

Kitty shook her head. She had received the best of care back at Treetops but was used to helping out. All of the children had been given little jobs to do when they reached a certain age, since Sunday and Tom always believed it was a good lesson towards their independence. Now being waited on was going to take some getting used to. What was she going to do with her time?

‘Right, well, I’ll leave you to settle in. I’ll come and call you when dinner is ready,’ Miss Fox told her. ‘Then after dinner I’ll show you round so you know where each room is. The bathroom is next door but one along the corridor, and you’ll find fresh towels and everything you need in there.’ She added: ‘I know it’s a lot to take in, dear, but you’ll soon get used to our ways.’