Walking back home from the bus stop, she wondered how she would manage to stop George drinking through Christmas. It was going to be hard. He wouldn’t like it and he wouldn’t like her for imposing it. She turned this over in her mind all the way to her front door.

As she slipped the key in the lock, she heard her telephone start to ring.

‘Hello?’ She slammed the door shut with her foot and disentangled herself from her bag.

‘Marion? It’s Tommy. Tommy Lascelles.’

Marion relaxed. ‘Hello, Tommy, how are you?’

‘Very well, thank you, but I am calling you on rather a delicate matter.’

Immediately Marion’s anxiety flared. ‘What would that be?’

She heard him clear his throat before answering. ‘Have you signed a contract with Mr and Mrs Bruce Gould? The publishers from New York.’

‘Yes.’ Her voice was soft. ‘Yes, I have.’

He slid his finger between his collar and throat. This was going to be difficult. ‘Ah. I see. We have a snag this end. Lady Astor has received a proof copy of your stories and has shown it to the Queen.’

Marion felt her blood run cold. ‘But why? My name isn’t on it.’

‘Unfortunately, it is. Maybe we could have got around that except for the content within …’

Crawfie began to shake. ‘You have seen it?’

‘Yes. I have read it – all of it – and there are certain events and conversations described that I know not to be true because I was there.’

‘But I was most circumspect with what I said. There were no untruths.’

Tommy’s heart went out to her, but he had to be tough. ‘Listen, Crawfie, I believe the Goulds have taken you for a fool. It appears they have falsified the truth. I know you are a truthful person, one who would never lie. I am certain they have twisted your words and crafted them to their liking.’ He paused.

‘Oh my God.’ Crawfie crumpled. ‘But my name – they promised me it was not to be included. I only signed the contract because George had read it and told me …’ She began to cry, her words coming out in gulps. ‘He told me they were not using my name.’

‘I am sorry to tell you he lied.’

‘No! No! George would never do that. He is an unwell man. He is in hospital. I have just returned home. And why would he lie?’

Tommy never felt comfortable around tearful women but he had to plough on. ‘I have the book in front of me. The cover says The Little Princesses by Marion Crawford.’

Marion cried noisily. Tommy waited a full two minutes, hoping it would subside.

Eventually Marion was able to speak again. ‘What has the Queen said?’

‘She …’ Tommy did not want to describe the terrible scene in the Queen’s drawing room. ‘She is upset, naturally.’

‘I must go and see her – to explain. This is not what I thought was going to happen at all.’