Kathy managed a weak smile as the girl shot off into one of the cubicles and after hastily washing and drying her hands she went back to work, not that it would be easy to concentrate.

For Kathy, April passed in a blur of worry. Outside the world seemed to be coming back to life after a long, cold winter. The tender green buds on the trees were unfurling, primroses and daffodils were blooming but Kathy barely noticed them.

And then things finally came out into the open one evening two weeks later when Kathy got home from work hot and flustered and decided to take a bath. Unlike back in the big house there was no indoor bathroom at the lodge, so they had to bathe the old-fashioned way in a tin bath that was brought in from the wash house and filled with hot water from the copper. It was a lengthy process but strangely they all seemed to find it quite relaxing to lie in a warm bath in front of the fire. Usually the others disappeared to give each other privacy but on this particular night Sunday was out visiting Cissie when Kathy got home and Livvy was over at the stables. So, after filling the bath she undressed and sank into the hot water. She was just climbing out when without warning Sunday appeared through the back door.

‘Oh, sorry, darling, I didn’t know you were …’ Her voice trailed away as she stared at her daughter’s slightly swollen stomach and the colour drained from her face as she asked falteringly, ‘Is there something you need to tell me, Kathy?’ Her voice came out as a squeak and Kathy blushed furiously as she grabbed a towel and hastily wrapped it around herself.

They stood silently surveying each other for a moment and it was Kathy who finally broke the silence when she said quietly, ‘I was trying to think how to tell you, really I was. I … I’m so sorry, Mum.’

Sunday pulled herself together with an enormous effort and forced a smile, although she was crying inside. ‘These things happen, darling. You’re not the first and I dare say you won’t be the last girl who lets their feelings run away with themselves before they’ve got a ring on their finger. Have you told David yet? I’m sure he’ll be thrilled. It’s more than obvious that he loves you. It will just mean that you’ll have to get married a little sooner than you’d planned.’

Kathy was so shocked that her eyes bulged. ‘D-David?’ she spluttered. ‘No … I haven’t told him and I’m not going to.’