He coughed, fiddled with his pocket watch, straightened his trouser creases and dived in.

‘My dear …’

‘Yes?’

‘I wonder if I might speak about a matter of some delicacy?’

Marion was worried immediately. ‘Oh, have I done something wrong?’

‘No, no. But it is about something that might be wrong.’

Marion frowned. ‘Go on.’

‘It’s Mr Buthlay.’

She smiled. ‘Major Buthlay, you mean.’

‘Ah, yes. Perhaps we could start with that.’

The following five minutes were most uncomfortable. Crawfie was in turns disbelieving, defensive and angry. When Tommy finished his demolishment of George’s character – which included a suspected fondness for alcohol and women – Marion erupted.

‘How dare you say such things about Major Buthlay? Have you ever actually spoken to him? Got to know him? Because I have. I have known him for many years. He is the man I love! Why are you making up such lies? I can’t understand it.’ She stopped for a moment, realization dawning. ‘Oh, I see what you are up to. The Queen has spoken to you, I suppose – told you to say anything at all to stop me from marrying, from leaving? We can’t possibly have the royal family inconvenienced by such a small thing as a good servant getting married! Is that what this is about?’

Tommy was appalled. ‘Absolutely not! Everything I have said is entirely true. You know that the family have given you their blessing to marry.’

‘I know how you do their dirty work for them.’ Marion’s voice cracked. ‘Smoothing the way, ironing the awkward problems, always loyal. But the truth is, you are just like the rest of us. Just another servant. You might eat at smart gentlemen’s clubs, enjoy the opera and keep your family in the country, but beneath it all, Tommy, you are just another hired hand. And for all your pomposity, you have not a shred of respect for the royal family. They are just pawns that you shunt around the board of diplomacy. They do not love you as they love me. And I love them! You are envious that I am part of the family while you are not.’

Tommy sighed. ‘You may not believe this, Miss Crawford, but I care for you and I worry about your future happiness. I am trying to help you.’

‘By trying to blacken my fiancé’s name? By making me miserable?’

Tommy had made a hash of this. And he knew it. ‘I am sorry to have caused such distress. I have explained my very real concerns, and it is up to you whether you wish to believe, or act on them. I cannot let you walk into a marriage without knowing the real facts.’

Marion was completely thrown. Her breathing was rapid and she was hot. Unwinding the car window, she drank in the cool air, her mind whirling.

How dare Sir Tommy Lascelles say that Major George Buthlay was a liar.

A fraud.

She turned back to Tommy. ‘I shall be telling George exactly what you have said about him. He will be appalled that you should say such things to me. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t have you for slander. He is a better man than you could ever be.’