Kitty leaned forward eagerly in her seat and hung on her mother’s every note, thinking how beautifully she sang as Ruby warbled her way through three songs. She could only imagine how exciting it must be, to be up there on the stage, the centre of everyone’s attention, and sighed dreamily at the thought of it. When she had done, Ruby curtsied and blew kisses as the audience applauded and Kitty leaped to her feet, clapping as loudly as she could. Then she watched in awe as her mother ran gracefully from the stage.

‘Oh, she was just wonderful!’ Kitty declared and Miss Fox sniffed. She was never one to give compliments lightly.

‘If you think that was good you should have seen her in her day,’ she remarked, then they all settled back in their seats to enjoy the rest of the show.

When it had ended, Max took them backstage and paused at a door with Kitty’s mother’s name on it. ‘This is your aunt’s dressing room,’ he told Kitty as performers bustled up and down the corridor. ‘Let’s see how she’s doing.’

He tapped at the door and entered with the two women behind him to find Ruby still in her stage outfit and full stage make-up, sitting with an elderly gentleman sipping champagne. A large bouquet of flowers addressed to ‘Miss Ruby Darling’ stood on her dressing table and she smiled as they entered.

‘Ah, here you are,’ she trilled. Then to the gentleman, ‘Do allow me to introduce you. This is my agent, Mr Max Thomas, my niece, Kitty, and my maid, Miss Fox.’

He stood and gave a gallant little bow. ‘How do you do. I am Mr Hector Smethwick.’

Max inclined his head and stifled a grin. It appeared that Ruby could still attract admirers even if they were rather elderly. Not that she’d mind that, so long as they had nice fat wallets. The man then bowed to Ruby, saying, ‘I shall take my leave now then, dear lady. I do hope you enjoy the flowers and I shall look forward to our dinner date. I shall collect you from your home promptly at seven o’clock on Wednesday evening. Goodbye for now.’ He nodded at them all.

When he had left the room, Miss Fox dropped onto a chair and snorted, ‘Crikey, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel with that one, aren’t you? He must be sixty if he’s a day!’

Ruby shrugged carelessly as she sat at her dressing table and began to wipe the thick greasepaint from her face. Kitty was surprised to see that it didn’t look very nice at all close to, more like it had been plastered on with a trowel.

‘It has to be applied thickly because of the stage lights,’ Ruby informed her as if she had read her thoughts, and once it was all removed Kitty thought how tired she looked. Nothing at all like the glamorous vision who had appeared on the stage.