May sighed. Mrs McBride was the very opposite of Mrs Breckenridge. She was hard to please, never satisfied with the final result, and expected her work to take precedence over everyone else’s. Her husband was a wealthy tea merchant, a member of all the most exclusive clubs, and highly thought of, if his wife’s account was to be believed, by the most influential burgesses of the city. She was a small, dark woman, with a flamboyant taste in dress, who tried to make up for her lack of height by wearing heeled shoes and extravagantly tall hats.

‘All right, Julie. As it happens I have got the hat ready. Tell her I’ll be with her in just a minute.’

Julie withdrew and May turned to Mrs Breckenridge, who was admiring the new hat in the mirror.

‘Excuse me, ma’am. I think if you were to wear it slightly more angled … like that … do you see?’

‘Of course. It makes all the difference. May, you are a clever girl.’

‘Well? said a voice from behind them. ‘Am I supposed to stand here waiting all day?’

Mrs McBride stood in the doorway. May turned to her.

‘I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll just pack this hat away for Mrs Breckenridge to take with her. Your hat is ready.’

She turned back and started putting the hat in a hatbox, while Mrs Breckenridge was replacing her own ready to leave. Mrs McBride advanced into the room, ignoring the other woman.

‘Is this what you call service? I shall have to have words with Mr Freeman. I—’

‘Angel!’

Mrs McBride had been followed by a small girl about five or six years old; a girl with blonde ringlets and huge blue eyes. Despite the years that had past, May would have recognised her anywhere and was already on her knees, holding out her arms.

‘Angel, it’s me, May. Don’t you remember? I’m so happy to see you again.’

The child looked at her uncertainly and took half a step forward, but before she was in May’s arms she was roughly grasped and dragged back.

‘Get up! What do you think you are doing?’

May got to her feet. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to give offence. It’s just that I used to look after Angel when we were …’

‘Angelina!’ Mrs McBride’s voice cut across hers. ‘Wait outside.’

‘Mama …’ the little girl looked up, her gaze full of confusion and entreaty.

‘Outside, I said! Now!’

Tears welled up in the blue eyes but she backed reluctantly out of the door. Mrs McBride turned on May.

‘How dare you presume acquaintance with my daughter? You have never seen her before.’

‘I’m sorry,’ May repeated. ‘But she is so like a little mite I looked after in the—’

‘That will do! I want to hear no more of your rambling. Now, where is my hat?’