The next few hours were a blur of being cold, hungry and in shock. We had to make statements. We were given blankets and mugs of coffee but all I wanted to do was to climb into a safe warm bed. I wished Darcy was with me, and wondered what he must be going through if he had arrived back at the estate to find it burned to the ground. At least the men at the gate could reassure him that we were safe, but he’d be worried nonetheless.

By midafternoon, taxicabs were ordered to drive us back to Beverly Hills. I had forgotten that so many of us were celebrities and was shocked, as we emerged from the sheriff’s headquarters, to face a hail of flashbulbs going off in my face. Mummy, completely recovered and having changed into one of her retrieved outfits, posed as if nothing had happened and answered questions prettily. She joined us in a cab with the two maids.

“I do hope the firemen will remember to bring me my suitcase,” she said. “It was so good of you to save that much, Claudette. I shall send you home on holiday as a treat.”

“You are too good, madame,” Claudette said.

“How fortunate it was only a weekend’s jaunt and the rest of my things are safe and sound at the hotel.” Mummy examined her hair in the taxicab window.

“All right for you,” I said. “The good clothes you bought me in London have gone up in smoke.”

“We’ll just have to get you some more, darling. I expect they have passable clothing in Beverly Hills.”

“I’ve lost the rest of my things too, miss,” Queenie said. “My spare knickers and all. I got new ones, special, ’cos we was traveling and I thought the ship might go down.”

The thought of Queenie’s spare knickers suddenly made me laugh. We were safe. We had survived and all would be well. There were more reporters waiting as we drove into the Beverly Hills Hotel. I noticed Tubby Halliday among them. He had the nerve to wave. Then one man pushed his way through the mob and ran toward me. It was Darcy.

“Thank God.” He wrapped me in his arms, not seeming to notice that flashbulbs were going off around us. “I’ve been out of my mind with worry. The telephone lines were down and when I got there . . .” He took my face in his hands and kissed me hungrily. And if the reporters were watching, I didn’t care.