‘Ah.’ It began to come clear to Marion. ‘And because you’ve never had a governess …?’

‘Quite so.’

Marion thought for a moment. ‘If it is quite all right with you, I should like to share my meals with you both in the nursery.’

‘You are welcome to, Miss Crawford.’

‘As long as you call me Crawfie,’ she added. ‘Lilibet today decided that is my nickname. Alah, Bobo and Crawfie – we sound like quite a team.’

Alah pursed her lips. ‘Well, let’s not jump our fences before we are in the saddle,’ she said. ‘It’s not as if you will be with us past the summer, is it?’

The Princesses were returned to Marion’s care after lunch and were ready for an afternoon of fun.

‘Have you seen the little pond yet?’ Lilibet asked.

‘Are there frogs?’ Marion asked.

Lilibet wrinkled her nose. ‘I think so.’

‘Good. Then we might find some frogspawn?’

‘Papa calls it tapioca,’ laughed Lilibet. ‘Margaret doesn’t like tapioca, do you, Margaret?’

‘Ducks,’ said Margaret, grabbing Marion’s hand.

‘Oh, are there ducks too?’

Lilibet skipped ahead. ‘Ducks and slimy frogspawn.’

Across the lawn and down some wooden steps was a large pond surrounded by budding maple trees and tulips. Across the middle were stepping stones and a little bridge.

‘This isn’t a little pond.’ Marion smiled. ‘It’s big enough to swim in.’

‘You haven’t seen Grandpa’s pond. That’s huuuuge.’ Lilibet spread her arms wide. ‘You can take a boat on it.’

‘And where’s Grandpa’s pond?’

‘At his house called Buckingham Palace.’

Marion shook her head, smiling. ‘Of course it is.’

They reached the water’s edge and began peering into the depths.

Lilibet pointed to the stepping stones. ‘Margaret is not allowed to go on those or she’ll fall in, but if we all hold hands we are allowed to walk the bridge to the little shelter.’

They did as Lilibet suggested, and in the middle of the bridge they stopped and looked down. With her free hand, Lilibet pointed out her father’s collection of koi carp. Some lingered under lily pads, and some came up to greet them.

‘They are very friendly.’ Marion was enthralled. ‘Next time we could bring them some food perhaps.’

‘Oh no.’ Lilibet shook her head seriously. ‘Papa or the gardener are the only two people allowed to feed them.’

‘Oh, look!’ Marion pointed to the furthest edge of the pond. ‘There is some frogspawn.’

Margaret wriggled and hopped singing, ‘Fogspa. Fogspa.’ Marion kept a tight hold of her hand.

A large frog they hadn’t seen sitting on the muddy water’s edge leapt in fright, dropping into the water with a large plop.

‘Eeeee.’ Margaret held her little arms up to Marion. ‘Cab me.’

‘She’s asking you to carry her,’ Lilibet interpreted. ‘I wish I could be carried but Mummy says I’m getting too big.’

Marion collected up the trembling Margaret. ‘Now, who wants a story?’

Lilibet hopped up and down. ‘Meeee!’

The little shelter had three walls to keep off any breeze and a sunny, open side from which to watch the pond and the birds dipping and flitting above it. There was a white bench on one side, and Marion sat the girls down either side of her. They snuggled under her enfolding arms. ‘Let’s get comfortable,’ she said. ‘What is your favourite story?’