Cars. Something to do with cars. Then I remembered. George had arrived late, breathless and straightening his bow tie. And had apologized to his parents that he was late because his car had had a crash. Golly, I thought. Could he have arranged to meet Bobo at Kensington Palace, drugged her and then killed her earlier in the evening? And then thought he was perfectly safe because he was having dinner with the family at Buckingham Palace—surely a cast-iron alibi?

I felt quite sick. I’d had enough shocks for one day. I didn’t want to believe that Prince George could kill anyone, but then I hadn’t wanted to believe that Darcy, my Darcy, had been intimate with Bobo Carrington. An image flashed through my mind of them together, in each other’s arms in that bedroom, while I was in Belinda’s flat, not far away, and he hadn’t even bothered to come looking for me.

They are all so right, I thought. Belinda said I’m hopelessly naïve and I am. I’d convinced myself that Darcy was different from the rest. I gave a long sigh. At least I’d found out before I married him. But I didn’t find that thought comforting.

I ARRIVED BACK at the palace to find the princess and countess enjoying afternoon tea.

“Lovely crumpets, Georgiana,” the princess called as she spotted me. “Take off your coat and come and join us.”

“This English crumpet I like,” Countess Irmtraut said. She was in the process of eating one with about an inch of strawberry jam piled on top while butter dripped onto the plate. “I tell the servant I want some crumpet. Lots of crumpet. Yes, I am looking for crumpet. And she start to laugh. Why is this? Anther strange English joke?”

“Perhaps she was nervous, trying to understand your English, Irmtraut,” the princess said sweetly. I wondered if she understood the double meaning. We English used the term to refer to a person of sexual interest. Perhaps not. I studied Irmtraut as she ate. She wasn’t really that much older than Marina and I, I realized. And yet she might well have had the word “spinster” tattooed across her brow. And a sudden wave of fear shot through me. Was this destined to be my future? Would I be better off agreeing to marry some minor half-lunatic European princeling that the family found for me? I shut my eyes, not wanting to think about the future.

Duty. My duty was now to look after Princess Marina.

“Would you like to go out this evening, Your Royal Highness?” I asked. “I could have Major B-C see if he can get us tickets for a play.”