“Anyone would think you hadn’t seen a decent meal in a month of Sundays,” Granddad said. “You’re not still growing, are you?”

“I hope not. I’m taller than some of my dancing partners,” I said. “But I do love a good stew.”

They exchanged a look of satisfaction.

“So what are things like up in the Smoke?” Granddad asked.

“Smoky. We’ve had horrible fogs. I’ve hardly been out.”

“Same down here. That’s what done in Albert’s chest,” Mrs. Huggins said.

“So what can we do for you, love?” Granddad asked, looking at me fondly.

I took a deep breath. “I’m looking for a maid, in rather a hurry, I’m afraid.”

Granddad burst out laughing. “I didn’t mind pretending to be yer butler, love, but I ain’t wearing a cap and apron and being a maid for you.”

I laughed. “I wasn’t expecting you to. I was wondering if you knew anyone who had experience in service and who was out of work.”

“I reckon we can come up with half a dozen girls who’d jump at the job, don’t you, ’ettie?” Granddad turned to her and she nodded.

“A maid for you, yer ladyship? Your own personal maid, like?”

“Precisely.”

“I shouldn’t think the position would be hard to fill. You’d have girls lining up to work for a toff like you. Why don’t you just put an advertisement in the newspapers?”

“There are some complications,” I said, realizing as he said it that an advertisement might be a jolly good idea. Why hadn’t I thought of it before? “Firstly, it’s only a temporary position. I want a girl to accompany me to a royal wedding in Europe.”

“In Europe?”

“Romania, to be exact.”

“Blimey” was all Granddad could find to say to that.

“And I can’t pay her much. I’m hoping I’ll be able to pay her something when I return.”

Granddad shook his head, making tut-tutting sounds. “You are in a bit of a pickle, aren’t you? What about your brother and his snooty wife, can’t they spare you a servant?”

“Nobody at Castle Rannoch wants to travel to London, let alone abroad. I’m looking for an adventurous girl, but I can’t afford to pay her much.”

“Seems to me,” Granddad said slowly, “that a girl might want to take up this position so that she could use you as a reference. Former maid to royalty. That might be worth a darned sight more than money.”

“You know, you’re right, Granddad. You’re brilliant.”

He beamed.