‘Oh, Mummy will be as pleased for you, I know, as I am! We will all want to come to the wedding. After all, you are our Crawfie.’

The two women chatted for several minutes, both delighted for each other, until they heard a scream from the nursery.

They exchanged worried looks and, in unison, jumped to their feet and ran towards the noise.

Bobo was standing by Alah’s chair, shaking and crying pitifully.

‘What on earth has happened, Bobo?’ asked Crawfie.

Bobo pointed to Alah’s chair. ‘I can’t wake her up,’ she sobbed.

Crawfie’s heart began pumping hard. ‘Alah!’ She shook her friend’s arm. ‘Alah, it’s me, Crawfie. Can you hear me?’

Alah’s arm flopped over the chair arm. ‘Alah!’ Crawfie’s voice was rising. ‘Bobo, call the doctor.’

Bobo was rooted to the spot.

‘Bobo! Get the doctor!’

When she had gone, Crawfie and Lilibet knelt before Alah. Crawfie took her pulse as she had been taught in a wartime first aid course.

‘Is she alive?’ Lilibet asked, her voice a little shaky.

‘Just. Very slow heartbeat. Let’s get her on the floor and into the recovery position.’

They got her onto the floor and placed a small cushion under her head. ‘Get a blanket, please, Lilibet.’

The two of them sat by the dear servant, talking to her and stroking her forehead. ‘The doctor is on his way,’ Lilibet told her. ‘Don’t worry. Help is coming and we’ll get you as right as rain.’

Marion sat on her heels. ‘She’s had a chesty cough for a while now,’ she said to Lilibet, in a low voice. ‘She refused to see the doctor. Where is he?’

When he came, Dr Mackay felt for Alah’s pulse, took her temperature and listened to her lungs. ‘Pneumonia. We need to get her to hospital.’

‘I will go with her,’ Lilibet said.

‘No, no, I will go,’ Crawfie insisted. She felt almost sick with worry.

Dr Mackay agreed. ‘Your Royal Highness, you must stay here. Please let Her Majesty know.’

‘I will, of course.’

‘Thank you, ma’am.’

Sitting in the ambulance and stroking Alah’s hand, Crawfie spoke to her old friend as calmly as she could manage. ‘Now, Alah, dear, I knew there was something wrong – didn’t I say you should see the doctor? Thank goodness Dr Mackay was at the Palace today. Imagine, the King’s own physician tending to you! You are so precious to us all. When you get better, I am going to make sure you have every afternoon off to rest. I shall personally tie you to your bed if you don’t behave. And anyway, I want you at my wedding. You have to be there. Why didn’t you admit to feeling so rough? Hang on tight. We are nearly at the hospital.’

Dr Mackay and the medical team swept Alah off into a treatment room while Crawfie sat in the long corridor outside. After a while, she needed the lavatory and a passing nurse directed her. ‘The teashop is just near it if you need some refreshment.’