The bare Christmas tree that George had brought home two nights ago was sitting forlornly in its pot by the window. A box of baubles and a string of coloured lights lay next to it. She should dress it before George came home. The empty branches felt so dull and solemn.

Unwrapping her hair and brushing it by the firelight, she wondered what she would have for her dinner. She always tried to make an effort for George, but she wasn’t very hungry tonight, and she was on her own. Maybe a bowl of soup and some toast would do.

Then the doorbell rang, making her jump. She went quickly to the door.

‘Who is it?’ she called anxiously.

‘It’s me. Lilibet. Philip and I have come to pay our official call.’

Marion glanced at the clock. It was not late, only six o’clock, but she had not been expecting anyone and had planned for an early night. She straightened her dressing gown and ran her fingers through her damp hair. She could not let them wait on the doorstep, even if she was hardly dressed for the occasion.

‘Come in. Forgive my attire.’

‘Oh! Are we disturbing you?’ Lilibet strode in with Philip after her, lowering his head so as not to bang it on the door jamb.

‘Not at all. I have been out all day and was going to have an early night. George is … away.’ She felt somehow a little embarrassed to mention that he was in hospital. ‘Actually, I was thinking about dressing the tree for his return. Would you like a drink?’

‘Tea would be nice.’

‘Do take a seat.’ Marion indicated the two chairs either side of the fire.

‘I would rather have a look round, if I may. Do you remember Margaret and I showing you around our Little House at Royal Lodge, all those years ago? Your cottage almost reminds me of it.’

‘One of the first adventures you took me on,’ Marion said, with a smile at the thought. ‘Shall we start upstairs?’

Princess Elizabeth enjoyed her tour. She insisted on opening every cupboard upstairs and down.

Prince Philip was intrigued by the boiler. ‘Has this come out of the ark?’ he said, tapping it with his knuckles.

‘It is rather eccentric.’ Marion laughed. ‘I never know quite what temperature it will produce.’

‘You girls go and make the tea, and let me have a tinker. I know my way around a ship’s engine room. It can’t be much different.’

Marion made a large pot of tea and brought it into the sitting room, where she found Lilibet looking through the Christmas baubles.

‘Shall we do this together?’ she asked.

‘No, have your tea, I can do that later,’ Marion protested – but Lilibet had already started on it.

‘Papa always says the lights should go on before the baubles,’ she was saying to herself. ‘So that is where we shall start.’

Marion was amused. ‘It wasn’t so long ago that I was the one putting the tree up in the nursery, you and Margaret arguing over who put what where.’