London, December 1940. Dolly works as a paid companion for Lady Gwendolyn, an older, unmarried woman who lives in a large house in Campden Grove in London. Dolly got the job through her friend’s father, Dr. Rufus. Lady Gwendolyn is querulous, ill-tempered, and still bitter that her sister left her to get married decades ago. Dolly reads Lady Gwendolyn the gossip pages, including news about an engagement party at the 400 Club. Lady Gwendolyn is put out that she’s been asked to quarter young women working for the War Office.

Dolly stares out the window at the woman in the neighboring house, Vivien. Vivien is beautiful, elegant, and married to the novelist, Henry Jenkins. Vivien has a tragic history and was orphaned as a child. Dolly longs for them to be friends since she is an orphan, too—Dolly’s family was killed when the Germans bombed Coventry in November. While Lady Gwendolyn naps, Dolly tries on gowns and coats in her dressing room. That night, as she visits with Kitty and the other girls who are working as secretaries for the War Office, Dolly receives a letter from Jimmy, whom she is letting the girls think is an RAF pilot. The girls gossip about whether Vivien has a lover.