Bernie brightened. He seized his coat. ‘Mrs Becket wanted some romances. I’ll buy some from a bookshop on the way there.

Daisy smiled when Bernie entered her hospital room.

‘I’ve got you the books you wanted,’ said Bernie. He read off the titles. ‘The Duke’s Passion, Lady Jane’s Dilemma, and Shop Girl to Countess.’

‘Sounds just the thing. I should be out of here by tomorrow.’ Daisy’s bandages had been removed. She put a hand up to the shaved part of her head and said, ‘I must look a fright.’

‘No, you look fine.’

‘Sit down, Mr King.’

‘Bernie, please.’

‘Then sit down, Bernie. Has anything else happened?’

Bernie told her all about the drama in the garden and the arrest of Thomson. ‘Oh, that is wonderful,’ said Daisy when he had finished. ‘Rose will have nothing to worry about now. I do miss her. I liked being companion to Rose. We were like sisters.’

‘But you’re married now and have a new home to go to.’

A shadow crossed Daisy’s expressive little face and she plucked nervously at the blankets.

‘You must be mourning for your baby,’ said Bernie sympathetically.

‘I feel unnatural because I’m not. You know how the upper classes say the lower classes don’t have the same fine sensitive feelings as they have. Maybe it’s true.’

‘Rubbish.’

‘I feel a failure as a wife, that’s all. Now I’m to be a lady of leisure. What am I going to do with myself all day? I wish I could go back to being a companion to Rose. I wish . . .’

Daisy bit her lip in consternation. She had been on the point of saying she wished she had never got married. Her eyes filled with tears.

‘Here, now,’ said Bernie. ‘What can I do to cheer you up? I know, I’ll start to read one of those books to you. You just lie back and listen.’

He started to read, using different voices for the characters, until Daisy began to laugh. Then she said contritely, ‘I shouldn’t be laughing.’

‘Course you should. Best medicine there is.’

The door opened and Lady Polly came in, followed by a footman carrying a large basket of fruit.

She eyed Bernie. ‘Who is this person?’

‘Not a person, my lady. Mr King works for Captain Cathcart and he has brought me some books.’

‘I’ll be off,’ said Bernie hurriedly. Daisy sadly watched him go.

‘Now,’ said Lady Polly, ‘I have had my servants move all your belongings from Chelsea to your new home. My maids have cleaned your flat and everything is ready for you.’

‘Thank you, my lady.’

‘What is this trash you are reading?’ asked Lady Polly, picking up Lady Jane’s Dilemma.

‘Just some romances. I didn’t feel like reading anything heavy.’

Lady Polly flicked the book open to the first page. ‘How is Lady Rose?’ asked Daisy, but Lady Polly had become absorbed in the romance and did not hear her.

Rose sat silently beside Harry as he drove her to Scotland Yard. It was raining so she was wearing an oilskin coat, hat and goggles and shielding her head with a large umbrella. There was no danger of the umbrella being whipped away because the traffic was so bad; the motor seemed only able to inch along.