“I wanted to let you see what they look like. A kind of thank-you gift.” She stood up straight but held the skirt of her dress up so that he could view his gift in full glory. See what I mean about her poise, as if she’s played every step before? Then she slipped her shoes back on and raised her skirt a touch higher, placing one foot in front of the other like some kind of actress or showgirl.

“I told you. You’d better leave me be,” he answered, his voice slipping out of his usual witty, upper-class front, his hand pushing back through his hair. Then he recollected himself and added with a half smile, “Or I might not be a perfect gentleman.”

She smirked, a look of determination in her eyes. This was the problem with Venetia—she could never see herself beaten. She wanted Slater, regardless of the price. She took a step toward him and took his hand. I couldn’t see what happened next as she now had her back to me, but I think she must have put his hand on her thigh.

“Venetia,” he whispered. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Yes,” she replied, velvet self-assurance in her voice. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“I don’t think you do.”

He lowered his face and kissed her extremely forcefully indeed, his other hand coming around the back of her pale shoulders, pulling her in toward him. They stood locked, writhing like that against each other for a few minutes, and then, I have no idea how, they eased themselves onto the hay without stopping kissing. I couldn’t see them as the hole in the door was too narrow, but I knew what they were doing. Like animals in a stable.

Flinging myself out of the yard, I decided to go back home and do some thinking about what I just saw, which is where you find me now. None of my questions seem to be answered, but I now know some things for sure.

Things I know for sure

Venetia has almost certainly done this before

She might have done it more than once before, too (although didn’t have a baby)

She might have done it with Henry, which is why he follows her around

Angela Quail has clearly done it, Vicar’s daughter or not

Now that I come to think of it, there is a lot more of it going on than I thought

I’m still not going to do it until I’m married

Venetia is more serious about Mr. Slater than I thought (or Daddy thought, for that matter)

Daddy will be furious if he ever finds out

This piece of information might come in very useful

With that, I have decided to close the matter, although the image of her standing there is etched onto my mind. How come she’s got it into her mind she can do these things, when we’ve been told that we can’t?

Then I realized. It’s the war. No one cares anymore about saving ourselves for marriage. It’s all about the here and now, letting everything go, enjoying life while we can. Virginity is old hat because we could be dead tomorrow or, worse, be occupied by the Nazis.

That said, I’m not sure I fancy the idea of doing it that much, so I think I’ll just keep mine for now. I’ll have to perfect my solos so that I can become so famous and successful that I never have to think about Venetia and her disgusting little affairs ever again.

3 CHURCH ROW,

CHILBURY,

KENT.

Friday, 3rd May, 1940

Dear Clara,

You have a champion for a sister! Triumphant is how I am, as it wasn’t easy—like Hercules getting through the ruddy Twelve Labors, except that it was only two screaming babies being swapped. But I wasn’t going to let that reward run away from me. Not this time, Clara. Let me tell you the whole.

After a good breakfast spent watching Mrs. Tilling, smartly dressed in her ghastly green WVS uniform, arrive and then depart from Hattie’s house for her usual morning check, I gathered my black bag and moved into the first part of my plan: feeding Hattie the potion.

“Anybody in?” I called as I knocked at the door and pushed it ajar, putting on the most friendly voice I could muster. “Hattie? It’s me, Miss Paltry. Are you upstairs?”

“In the kitchen,” she chanted in her singsong voice.

I walked in to find her pottering around the tiny room, surrounded by soil-coated vegetables dug up from the garden, a sizable leek in one hand.

“I’m glad I found you in,” I smiled. “I saw a midwife friend in Faversham yesterday, and the most remarkable coincidence. I was telling her about your tiredness, and how there was nothing you could take for it, and she told me about a new remedy. She said she has been giving it out for months and every woman has been so happy that she’s quite run out of the stuff!”

“Can I get it anywhere?” Hattie turned, putting down the leek. “I haven’t been able to get out for days now, and I need to visit the children in Litchfield Hospital. I’ve been giving them extra lessons in my spare time, and—”

“As it happened she received a new box while I was there, and I begged her to let me have some for you.”

“You did? How marvelous!” She took a few steps toward me in eagerness, fixing a thick strand of dark hair that had slipped out of its pins. “How much do I owe you?”

“It was quite pricey, dear, because it’s so much in demand,” I said, putting my head on one side to add an extra cheeriness. “But I’ll give you a special price of thruppence ha’penny for the dose.”