“I took the liberty of setting tea out on the deck,” he said, recovering his manners. “Shall we go up top?”

“Let’s. But first, could we get a picture of you by your models? You don’t smoke a pipe by any chance, do you? You do! I adore a man with a pipe. Now, stand there—lovely! Did you get that, Miss Sparks?”

“I did, Mrs. Bainbridge.”

“Then let’s go have that tea, shall we?”

“This way, ladies,” he said, indicating the stairs.

Hot tea out of doors in July, Mrs. Bainbridge thought in dismay when they got there, but the china was charming and the biscuits were yummy.

“Did you bring these back from your travels?” she asked, holding up a cup with a delicate floral pattern.

“Oh no.” He laughed. “The missus bought them in a shop in Chelsea. Come on, lads! Put your backs into it!”

They turned to see the objects of his attention, a team of cadets wrestling a mock-up of an antiaircraft gun into position on the training ship. Mrs. Bainbridge wouldn’t have thought they could hear him from that distance, but one of them looked up and waved, then nudged his fellows, who saw the two women with the vice admiral and commenced waving en masse. The two women waved back and blew kisses, which encouraged further waving by the young men until their instructors railed at them to get back to their task.

“What handsome young men!” said Mrs. Bainbridge.

“They are indeed, Mrs. Bainbridge,” said Sparks. “A credit to the navy.”

“Now, tell us about the thrilling rescue of the Greek royals,” said Mrs. Bainbridge.

“There wasn’t all that much to it,” said Buchanan-Wollaston. “We were patrolling in the eastern Mediterranean when I received orders to make all speed to Phaleron Bay, no reasons given, no questions asked. We did. Next thing I know, a Greek launch motors up by us. A fellow with an enormous bald head comes up the ladder. I recognised him immediately. His name was Talbot. Gerald Talbot. He had been the naval attaché in Greece, but his term there was over, so I had no idea what he was doing in Athens. Turns out, he had made some kind of a deal for the prince’s life. He handed me my orders, and suddenly a light cruiser in the British navy became a private yacht for a pair of royal Greeks.”

“Were they with this Talbot fellow?” asked Mrs. Bainbridge.

“They were. Prince Andrea came up the ladder like a proper sailor, but she was terrified. Had to send down some men to help her up. When she came on board—well, she was beautiful. Ever seen her?”

“Only photographs,” said Mrs. Bainbridge.

“She looked like something out of a painting from another century. Gainsborough or one of those fellows. Lit from within, like a great lady ought to be. She greeted me quite graciously once we finally got her on deck. She had a way of staring at you quite intensely when you talked. Found out after she was deaf, but could read lips in four languages. Then up comes a valet and a lady’s maid—with luggage!”