‘Come on, darling. You have to tell me more than that. Was it romantic? …passionate?’ She looked at Evie pointedly. ‘Businesslike?…Or maybe even… awkward?’

Evie’s skin prickled and she shifted in her seat. Veronica was watching her like a hawk. ‘I’d prefer to keep what happens between Douglas and me private.’

Veronica laughed. ‘Of course. I can see you’re being coy. Never mind. I’ll save your blushes. Dougie will spill the beans when I next see him – I’m very good at squirrelling all the dirt out of him.’ She fixed her gaze on Evie again. ‘But don’t worry, darling, I won’t say a word about your little dressing up session today. Your secret’s safe with me.’

Before Evie could reply, the woman drained the contents of her glass, and jumped lightly to her feet. ‘Must rush. So many calls to make. But I had to make you my first, dear girl. Don’t get up!’ With that, she swept out of the room and the house.

Evie sat fuming, so incensed she couldn’t finish her ‘medicinal’ gin. Leaving it on a side table she went into the garden and paced up and down in the shade of the tall casuarina trees. When the heat of the day and her own anger got too much for her, she went inside and ran upstairs to her bedroom to wash away all traces of Felicity’s perfume. Afterwards, she switched on the ceiling fan and threw herself down on the bed.

She had no idea how long she’d been asleep when Aunty Mimi came in to wake her.

‘Tuan and Jasmee waiting you. Tuan say you come downstairs. Dinner nearly ready.’

Heart thumping at the next ordeal awaiting her, Evie followed the Malayan woman down the stairs and into the drawing room.

Jasmine Barrington was a tiny figure, dwarfed by the chair she was sitting in so that her legs dangled in front of her, unable to reach the floor. Her blonde hair was pulled back into plaits, each tied with a brown silk ribbon. She was wearing what was evidently school uniform: a yellow gingham dress with white ankle socks and bar shoes. Her face was pale with a cluster of freckles around her nose. Wide blue eyes dipped to the floor, after a furtive glance at Evie, giving the impression the little girl didn’t want to be here.

Evie bent down in front of the child, her hand extended for a formal handshake. ‘You must be Miss Jasmine Barrington. I’m very pleased to meet you. My name is–’

Before she could introduce herself, Douglas interrupted. ‘This is Miss Fraser, Jasmine. She’s going to be staying here with us.’ No mention of the upcoming wedding. Addressing Evie he added, ‘I’ll see you both later. I’m dining at The Club tonight.’ Without waiting for a response he went out of the room, leaving Evie stunned.

She looked at the little girl. ‘It looks like it’s just you and me this evening, Jasmine. Shall we go and see if Aunty Mimi has the supper ready?’