Then addressing Miss Fox, Ruby told her shortly, ‘As for Mr Smethwick, he’s very pleasant and ridiculously wealthy. He’s recently become a widower – so why shouldn’t I go out to dinner with him? I feel sorry for him as it happens.’

‘I bet you do,’ Miss Fox said sarcastically, but Ruby ignored her comment.

‘Wait for me outside, would you? The dresser will be coming in to help me get changed now.’

The three of them made their way outside to wait in Max’s motor car, and sometime later Ruby slipped through the stage door and came to join them.

Max drove them home and followed them inside, and as usual Ruby asked him, ‘I dare say you’d like a drink before you go?’

‘I’d love one,’ he answered. ‘And of course the lovely Miss Kitty must join us.’

Ruby flushed with jealousy as she saw the way he was smiling at the girl, but not wishing to appear childish, she shrugged. ‘As you wish.’

‘Actually I’m rather tired,’ Kitty responded quickly, ‘so if you don’t mind I’ll just turn in. But thank you so much for a wonderful evening, one I shall never forget.’

Just for a second Max looked annoyed but then taking her hand he kissed it gallantly. ‘I don’t mind at all, my dear. A young girl like you needs her beauty sleep and it was a pleasure to be in your company. Perhaps tomorrow I shall start to look around for some bookings for you. It would be a crime to let such a lovely voice go to waste. Then we must take you shopping for some suitable stage outfits and look at getting you a maid.’

Kitty looked shocked. ‘But I don’t need a maid,’ she said.

‘Perhaps not now, but you will when you are in the theatre. You’ll need someone to help you get changed and dress your hair. Your aunt has always had Miss Fox to help her if there was no dresser, but I was thinking someone nearer to your own age might be more suitable.’

‘Oh!’ Kitty didn’t argue. It would be a shame to spoil such a very special evening so she simply wished them all goodnight and ran up to her room, where she thought of all she had seen that evening and relived every second. But it didn’t stop her missing Sunday or stop her wondering what she would have thought of her new way of life!

Once they were alone in the living room, Ruby rounded on Max. ‘I hope you are not getting any romantic inclinations towards my niece!’ she spat. ‘She is too young to be seduced, so keep your hands off her.’

Max snipped the end off a cigar and slowly lit it before blowing a plume of blue smoke into the air.

‘Don’t be so ridiculous, darling. Kitty is young enough to be my daughter, but if handled properly she could become a success and make us both rich. And I’m sure you wouldn’t turn your pretty nose up at that.’