‘Oh, Crawfie, dear,’

Crawfie stopped. ‘Yes, ma’am?’

‘Queen Mary is taking a day away from mourning tomorrow to visit Southampton. She has been invited to lunch on RMS Queen Mary. She hasn’t seen the ship since she launched her back in May and she needs cheering up so she would like the Duke and me, and the girls too, of course, to join her.’

Crawfie’s mind was immediately working on a plan for this unexpected day off. She would find George and get to the bottom of his disappearance. ‘How wonderful. The girls will enjoy a family day out.’

Margaret bounced on her dining chair. ‘Are we going to the seaside? Can we have ice creams?’

Her mother laid a hand on her daughter’s arm. ‘We’ll see, won’t we? It’s such a beautiful ship.’ The Duchess smiled dreamily. ‘We’ll have lots of fun and it’s very educational.’

‘I am sure it is,’ said Crawfie. ‘You will have a wonderful day indeed.’

The Duchess smiled. ‘Oh, we will. Now, join us for lunch and we can discuss the arrangements.’

Crawfie had lost the chance to read George’s letter. Smothering her frustration with as neat a smile as she could manage, she sat at the place Ainslie had hurriedly laid.

Unfolding her napkin and spreading it on her lap, she asked, ‘What time tomorrow morning would you like me to have the girls ready for Southampton?’

The Duke spoke. ‘We shall leave at 09.00 hours. Back to London by 18.30. Function at the Guildhall tomorrow evening.’

The Duchess smiled. ‘My husband still talks like a sailor.’

Crawfie did some mental arithmetic. She would have over nine hours free of her duties: time enough to find George and let him know how much he meant to her

The Duchess was still chatting away. ‘I have never been aboard the Queen Mary, but I hear she is quite splendid. The Queen is very fond of her, and her captain. He telegraphed Buckingham Palace this evening to invite her aboard. Wasn’t that thoughtful? The ship is on its way back from New York and will dock in Southampton late tonight. Tomorrow she will refuel and replenish her food and drink stocks before the new passengers arrive. We shall have the whole boat to ourselves for the day!’

‘Ship, darling,’ said the Duke. ‘It’s not a boat.’

The Duchess laughed. ‘The passengers don’t get on until the evening. Won’t it be fun?’

‘Embark,’ muttered the Duke.

‘Yes, yes, embark.’ The Duchess flapped her hand. ‘Now, Crawfie, I suggest you pack a waterproof coat, sensible shoes and a cardigan in case. Being near water one always feels the wind.’

Crawfie’s heart plummeted. She was expected to join them? No free day to find George?

The Duchess grinned. ‘What a wonderful day we shall have.’

The afternoon in the schoolroom dragged frustratingly slowly. George’s letter still begged to be read and Crawfie was constantly aware of it within her pocket. Supposing he had decided that their friendship was over, that he had found someone else? What if he had simply realized that she, Marion, was not the woman for him after all?