“I didn’t think that ‘frail’ would ever be a word to describe your sister-in-law,” the queen said, looking up with a half smile on her lips as a tray of coffee was wheeled into the room. “I managed to have six children without making a fuss. One just got on with it.” The maid poured coffee and hot milk into a cup and put it down beside Her Majesty, then did the same for me. The queen then motioned her away and we were left alone. “Did you not want to go to the Riviera with them, then? I thought it was the aim of all young people these days.”

“I wanted to go,” I said. “It’s just that—” I hesitated. It was bad form to discuss money problems. “Well, my brother has been saddled with horrendous death duties on the estate, so . . .” I left the rest of the sentence unsaid.

“Such a silly, selfish thing to do,” the queen said, stirring her coffee fiercely. “Your father, I mean. We were always raised to face the music, not take the easy way out. Goodness knows the king and I have been through our share of trials and tribulations.” She took a dainty sip of coffee then looked me directly in the eye. “So you want to go to the south of France, but they haven’t invited you, is that it?”

“I was told that I was welcome at the villa where they’ll be staying.” I hesitated to say to Her Majesty that I wasn’t sure whether that was true or not. “They didn’t feel that they could pay my travel expenses to go with them.”

The queen took a long drink of coffee, put her cup down then sat staring out the window at the clouds racing across the sky. “This puts a different complexion on things. If I arranged for you to go to the Riviera with your family,” she said carefully, “I wonder if you could do something for me.”

“Of course, ma’am,” I said cautiously.

“I’d like to entrust you with a rather delicate and difficult task.”

She had entrusted me with tasks before. They had usually proved difficult, dangerous or both—from entertaining foreign princesses to spying on her eldest son, the Prince of Wales. I remembered that he was currently on the Riviera himself and wondered if I was going to be thrust into the role of spy again.

“I am speaking to you in the uttermost confidence, Georgiana. Not a word of this must leave this room. Do I have your word on this?”

I nodded. “Of course, ma’am.”

“I have great faith in you, Georgiana. You have handled difficult situations before. You have proved yourself most astute.” She moved closer to me, leaning forward as if to whisper, although we were the only two people in the room. “You know how much I prize my antiques, Georgiana.”