It was obvious to Max that Vladimir was well aware Nicholas was a rival for Ilse’s affections and that beneath his urbane, indifferent exterior, he was annoyed. Max didn’t blame him, because he was annoyed as well. What he had been looking forward to was squiring the baby of the family to a nightclub—perhaps her first nightclub—and sharing in her pleasure at her excursion into a whole new, adult world.

What he hadn’t expected was that she would already be happily familiar with that world and a centre of attention in it. As Ilse laughed at something Nicholas said and as one of Nicholas’s friends ordered more champagne for the table, he felt himself to be absolutely unnecessary to her. It wasn’t a feeling he liked.

Ilse, delighted Max had the opportunity to make friends with the people she now spent most time with, was totally oblivious as to what was going through his mind. Nicholas and Vladimir were, if not already friends, at least old acquaintances and both she and Vladimir knew practically everyone in Nicholas’s party. The laughter and conviviality now taking place around their large and crowded table was such a welcome joy after the political stresses and strains of the last few months it never occurred to her that Max wasn’t taking quite as much of a leading part as was normal for him.

‘I think it decidedly clever of Hitler to have let the title of President die when Hindenburg died,’ she heard Nicholas say to Vladimir. ‘Styling himself Führer and Reich Chancellor, instead of President, means he doesn’t have to take a vow upholding the constitution, as Hindenburg did.’

‘Which gives him far more power than any former Head of State has ever had,’ Vladimir said, seeing Nicholas’s point immediately.

‘And the oath now exacted from all members of the Armed Forces is to him personally, not to Germany,’ one of the girls in Nicholas’s party added drily. ‘It puts quite a new slant on the title of Supreme Commander.’

Ilse sighed. Fond as she was of Nicholas she wished he hadn’t steered the conversation on to politics. Politics made laughter impossible. She was just wondering how she could put an end to such seriousness when Max leaned towards her and said quietly, ‘I was a bit thrown when I walked in the house to find Vladimir with you. I was expecting your escort to be Nicholas.’

‘Nicholas?’ Ilse blushed. ‘I do spend a lot of time with Nicholas. He’s an exceptionally nice person, but going to drama school and, thanks to Hugo, being invited to lots of embassy parties has meant I now have lots of other friends as well.’ Her smile was as innocent as a child’s. ‘And Vladimir is one of them.’

‘So I see,’ he said, wanting to ask exactly what kind of a relationship it was she had with Nicholas—since she had blushed when he had mentioned his name—but, under the circumstances, not being able to.

As he listened with half an ear to the conversation going on around them, he wondered if his uncle and aunt knew of the extent of Ilse’s new social life, or if their self-imposed seclusion in Charlottenburg meant they were largely unaware of it.