I scooted rapidly back to the bathroom, feeling rather self-conscious in my nightdress, and found the whole place full of steam and the bath temperature hot enough to boil a steamed pudding. What’s more the window was jammed shut and it took ages for me to run out half the bathwater and fill it with cold. After that I had a lovely long soak, got out feeling refreshed and looked around for a towel. There wasn’t one. Now I was in a pickle. The nightdress that I had worn had become so sodden with steam that it was almost as wet as I was. I had no way to dry off. I’d have to make a run for it.

I pulled my nightdress over my head with great difficulty. It clung to my wet body like a second skin. I opened the bathroom door, looked up and down the hallway then sprinted for my own bedroom. That was when I realized I couldn’t remember how many doors down the hallway was mine. It was two, surely. Or was it three? I was conscious of the trail of drips behind me, of the puddle forming around me, and my feet freezing on the stone floor. I stood outside the second door and tried to open it. It wouldn’t open.

I tapped on it firmly. “Queenie, let me in, please.”

No answer.

I rapped louder. “Queenie, for God’s sake open the door.”

The door was flung open suddenly and I found myself staring into the bleary-eyed face of Prince Siegfried. He had obviously just woken from sleep. He looked me up and down, his eyebrows raised in horror.

“I’m so sorry. I must have the wrong room,” I mumbled.

“Lady Georgiana,” he exclaimed. “Mein Gott. What is the meaning of this? You are not wearing clothes. Most inappropriate. What has befallen you? You have had an accident and fallen into water?”

“I am wearing something but it’s rather wet. You see, there were no towels in the bathroom and I forgot which door was mine and...” I was babbling on until I heard Queenie’s voice hissing, “Psst. Down ’ere, miss.”

“Sorry to trouble you,” I said and fled.

Of course when I reached the safety of my room, I discovered that there were towels on the top shelf of the wardrobe. I dried off still feeling utterly stupid and embarrassed. Of all doors, I had to knock on Siegfried’s. All in all it had been a long and trying day.