My deepest love to all of you,

Your Kitty xxxxxxxx

She then quickly wrote a little note to Ben too, saying much the same as she had to Sunday and Tom, and enclosed it with theirs in the envelope before sealing it and carrying it downstairs to place it on the tray with Ruby’s outgoing mail. Now all she could do was wait – but surely they would write soon?

That afternoon, Max arrived punctually and drove Kitty and Ruby into the West End, where he parked his car. Kitty’s face was flushed with excitement and as he peeped at her from the corner of his eye, Ruby noticed and clung possessively to his arm. From the way Kitty fluttered her eyelashes becomingly at any young man who dared to look admiringly at her, Max sensed that she had already discovered the power she could wield over men. But for all that she was still naively innocent and he was sure that she had never gone further than mildly flirting with anyone. He smirked. Handled properly, she would be putty in his hands – although he would have to tread carefully so as not to upset Ruby. But who knew what the future might hold?

Once again they visited Selfridges where they were escorted to the department that sold ballgowns. An assistant brought out a selection for her to look at and Kitty almost drooled over each one – although when she dared to look at the prices her eyes opened wide.

‘Don’t get worrying about the expense.’ Max waved his hand airily. ‘Just consider it an investment. We must have you looking your absolute best for your debut.’ Then when he saw Kitty stroking a gown in deep purple he advised her, ‘No, I think we should stick to a pastel colour to play on your youth and your innocence. What about this pale blue one here?’

Kitty thought it rather plain, but she supposed it wouldn’t hurt to humour him and try it on so she obligingly followed the assistant to the fitting room while Ruby and Max took a seat to wait for her.

‘I think this will show your colouring off to perfection,’ the shop assistant told her as she did up the row of tiny buttons at the back. She then turned Kitty to the mirror and as she glimpsed herself, the girl gasped.

The dress was daringly low cut and off the shoulder, emphasising her smooth skin. It was then drawn to one side beneath the bust before falling away into a long skirt that rustled delightfully with every movement.

‘You look exquisite,’ the assistant breathed as Kitty turned this way and that, admiring herself in the tall cheval mirror. There was no decoration of any sort anywhere on it and yet the superb cut of the gown and the sheer simplicity of it against her dark hair was quite stunning.

‘Shall we go out and see what your parents think about it?’