‘Why you look a perfect treat.’ Miss Fox beamed at her then confided, ‘Your mother has informed the staff that you’ve come to live with us and told them all that you are her niece – so from now on you’re to address her as Aunt or Ruby. Can you remember to do that?’

Kitty felt a slight flush rise to her cheeks. ‘Yes, I think so,’ she said.

‘Good, then we’ll go down now.’

Kitty followed her back downstairs and into a beautiful dining room where a long, highly polished mahogany table was set for three people. A silver candelabra was placed in the centre of it and the candles made the silver cutlery and the cut-glass wine goblets sparkle. It all looked very grand just for three people and Kitty wondered if the staff went to all this trouble every day.

They had only been in the room for a matter of minutes when Ruby made her entrance. She looked as if she was about to go out to the theatre rather than have dinner at home. Her gown in a pale sea-green satin made a pleasing swishing noise every time she walked, and the bodice of it was heavily embroidered with sequins and pearls. Her hair had been swept up onto her head and fell in loose curls about her shoulders, and there were diamond earrings dangling from her ears and a matching necklace clasped about her neck. Her fingers were covered in rings fashioned from different gems that flashed all the colours of the rainbow, and Kitty was in awe of her. Even more so now she could see why she had acquired the male following that Miss Fox had told her about. Her mother might well be approaching middle age, but she was still a remarkably attractive woman.

‘Why, you look quite charming,’ she told Kitty in her beautiful musical voice. ‘Do sit here next to me and I’ll ring the bell for the maid to begin serving us.’

Somewhat self-consciously Kitty took a seat at the side of her, gazing with alarm at the array of cutlery laid out at her place-setting. There were so many different knives and forks. Which ones was she supposed to use? She decided to wait and see which ones her mother and Miss Fox picked up first. That would be the safest way.

‘Now I’m trying to think what I ordered for this evening,’ Ruby said, spreading the starched white napkin across her lap. Then smiling at Kitty, she explained, ‘I give my menu to the cook at the beginning of each week. I believe I ordered wild mushroom soup finished with cream to start with, this evening.’

Again, Kitty was shocked. She had assumed that all this pomp and ceremony was in honour of her arrival – but it sounded as if they dined this way every day. It was a far cry from Treetops where the food was plain but wholesome.

Just then, a maid bustled in dressed in a pretty lace-trimmed apron and mob-cap and placed a large silver tureen in the centre of the table. After a nod from Ruby she removed the lid and began to ladle the soup into their dishes. It certainly smelled lovely and the bread rolls that were served with it were still warm from the oven. Kitty suddenly realised how hungry she was. It had been a long time since she had shared Miss Fox’s sandwiches on the train and after watching which spoon to use she tucked in with relish.