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to slope off and speak to her friend. She didn’t seem to have inherited her mother’s flare or interest for small talk.
    â€˜I’m so sorry for running off on you earlier. I don’t think I’ve seen Nurse that angry since she caught us smoking that joint in the greenhouse,’ Bunnie said, and both girls had to suppress a fit of giggles.
    Georgie lit a cigarette, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. ‘Oh my God, I’d forgotten about that. That must have been at least ten years ago,’ she said, smiling fondly at the memory. ‘Nurse is a big softy really. Her bark is much worse than her bite.’
    â€˜Did she let you off then?’ Bunnie asked.
    Georgie grimaced. ‘Let’s just say I won’t be sitting comfortably through dinner.’
    Bunnie smiled sympathetically and blushed. ‘Well, maybe we can compare war wounds later. I had a run in with Adams.’ Georgie looked at her friend quizzically. ‘I’ll tell you about it later,’ Bunnie whispered as Georgie’s mother approached.
    â€˜Hello Beatrice, dear,’ Eve said. ‘It’s a shame your mother couldn’t be here tonight. Tell her I send my love.’ She turned to her daughter. ‘Georgie darling, come and mingle with your guests, they’re all here for your birthday, after all.’
    Georgie smiled apologetically at Bunnie and bit back the urge to point out that they were not her guests at all, but her parents’ acquaintances. But she sighed and allowed her mother to guide her into the crowd, a smile firmly fixed on her face.
    The conservatory looked much busier now that most of the guests had arrived. The men were talking about business and the women competing about where they would be holidaying next year, the unmistakable hum of upper class conversation. By the time Georgie completed a circuit of the conservatory she was exhausted, but she had also received a number of very generous gifts which certainly helped sugar the pill, and had always been a sure way to appease her.
    As she was thanking one of her dad’s friends for a pair of beautiful and very expensive diamond earrings, her mother gracefully approached and slipped an arm around her daughter’s waist. ‘Could I just steal the birthday girl away for a moment?’ she said apologetically.
    Georgie followed her mother into the hall, surprised by the unusual break from etiquette. ‘Have you seen Lily this evening?’ Eve asked.
    â€˜Isn’t she back yet?’ Georgie said, confused.
    â€˜Back from where? Where did she go?’
    â€˜I was with her this afternoon. She said she had to go to Coxham Marsh village for a while, but she promised she’d be back for the party.’
    â€˜Well she’s late,’ Eve said angrily.
    â€˜Don’t worry, Mum, she’ll be here. Why don’t we just start without her?’
    Georgie was a little upset that Lily was late, but she was more concerned about keeping her mother calm. Eve liked her parties to go off without a hitch and tonight was no exception.
    â€˜You’re right,’ Eve conceded, ‘the show must go on.’
    Together they walked back into the conservatory, but before they could join in any of the conversation the gong sounded for dinner and they all made their way to the dining room.
    Happily, Georgie found herself sitting between her father and a young man she had never met before. She was surprised that both she and Bunnie had missed him slipping in, and she wondered how he knew her parents. Other than Bunnie he was the only person in the room who was anywhere near her own age. He had short brown hair and deep-set hazel eyes. With unremarkable but serious features he smiled politely as she took her seat.
    â€˜Darling, have you been introduced to Jeffery Henderson?’ Her father indicated to the stranger next to her. ‘Jeffery works at my law practice. How long have you been with us