The Duchess of York was consulted and it was agreed that it would be fine for the princess to go out with me, providing we didn’t venture too far afield. Elizabeth changed into her riding togs and we left the nursery to Margaret’s wailed protests that she was a good rider too. Ponies were saddled up and off we went. It was a glorious day for riding and we set out at a brisk trot.

“Could we go a bit faster?” Elizabeth asked after a while. “Trotting is so boring, isn’t it?”

“All right. But don’t fall off, or I’ll be in trouble.”

“I never fall off,” she said scornfully and urged her pony into a fast canter. I let her ride ahead of me. She really was a splendid little rider. Up a broad path we went, through the woods and then out onto the moor.

“Hey, Lilibet, slow down,” I called. “We shouldn’t go too far from the house, remember.”

She brought her pony to a halt and waited for me.

“Isn’t it heavenly up here?” Elizabeth said, looking around at the vast sweep of hills and glens. “I love the way we can be free to be ordinary at Balmoral, don’t you?”

“I’m usually ordinary,” I said, “but I do understand.”

We walked on.

“Mummy even takes us down to the village shop and I can spend my pocket money,” Elizabeth went on. “I wish we could stay up here all year long.”

“Your daddy has important work to do for the country,” I said.

“I’m glad Uncle David will be king,” she said. “Daddy would hate it. So would I. When I grow up, I want to marry a farmer and have lots of animals—horses and dogs and cows and chickens.” She looked at me. “Who do you want to marry?”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

“You’re blushing,” she said. “I bet you do know who you’d like to marry. Is he handsome?”

“Very.”

“Are you going to tell me his name? I promise I can keep a secret. Then I’ll tell you the name of a handsome boy I know.”

She broke off as we heard a strange humming, whooshing sound. Something whizzed past us. At first I thought it was a bee. Then, when the second one came, followed by a metallic ping as something hit an outcropping of rock, I realized what it was.

“Someone is shooting at us,” I said. “Ride as fast as you can.”

“But surely—” she began.