“Your wife made it quite clear that I was one mouth too many,” I said. “Besides, I don’t want to be a burden. I want to make my own way in the world. I want a life of my own. It’s just that it’s so horribly hard at the moment.”

“You should have married Prince Siegfried,” Fig said. “That’s what girls of your station are supposed to do. That is what your royal relatives wanted you to do. Most girls would have given their right arm to become a princess.”

“Prince Siegfried is a loathsome toad,” I said. “I intend to marry for love.”

“Ridiculous notion,” Fig snapped. “And if you’re thinking of your Mr. O’Mara, then you can think again.” Fig was now warming to her subject. “I happen to know that he doesn’t have a penny. The family is destitute. Why, they’ve even had to sell the family seat. There’s no way he’s ever going to be able to support a wife—if he ever intends to settle down, that is. So you’re wasting your time in that direction.” When I didn’t answer her she went on, “It’s all about duty, Georgiana. One knows one’s duty and one does it, isn’t that right, Binky?”

“Quite right, old thing,” Binky said distractedly.

Fig gave him such a frosty stare that it’s a wonder he didn’t turn into an instant icicle. “Although some of us are lucky enough to find love and happiness once we are married, isn’t that so, Binky?”

Binky was staring out of the window at the fog creeping in again across Belgrave Square. “How about that cup of tea, Georgie?”

“You’d better come down to the kitchen to drink it,” I said. “It’s warmer down there.”

They followed me like children behind the Pied Piper. I lit the gas stove and put the kettle on while they watched me as if I were a conjurer doing a spectacular magic trick. Then I put the last of the bread onto the grill to make toast. Binky watched me and sighed. “For God’s sake, Fig, call Fortnum’s and ask them to deliver a hamper. Tell them it’s an emergency.”

“If you give me some money, I’ll be happy to stock up the kitchen again for you—and more economically than a hamper from Fortnum’s.”

“Could you, Georgie? You’re a lifesaver. An absolute bally lifesaver.”

Fig glared. “I thought we agreed on a hotel, Binky.”

“We’ll dine out, my dear. How about that? I know that Georgie knows how to cook a splendid breakfast if we provide her with the ingredients to do so. The girl’s a bally genius.”