The decision was splitting her in two.

She loved the Princesses, but her heart was full of all the poor children in Glasgow and beyond who had nothing: no food in their stomachs, no shoes on their feet, and a future as bleak and cold as a winter’s night. How could she think that looking after two of the planet’s most cosseted girls compared with those desperate children?

‘What should I do?’ she asked herself over and over again, pacing her bedroom in the small hours, unable to sleep. She crept into the nursery kitchen and put some milk on the gas to heat. Warm milk always soothed her. Waiting for it to come to the simmer, she sat at the small table and put her head in her hands.

‘God, if you are listening, what am I to do?’

No answer came.

Taking her milk to bed, Marion pulled the blankets up around her and lay back against her pillows. ‘What am I to do?’

Three thoughts suddenly came to her:

1. She would have to talk to the Duchess again, to try and make her see that training to be a child psychologist was what she was going to do. But how could she explain that to someone who wouldn’t listen?
2. She would write to Glasgow University and ask if they could hold her place for another year, perhaps two, so that she need not let the Duchess down immediately.
3. Her mother must not hear any of this until she had found the solution.

And so, before breakfast, she wrote to the university – a simple, truthful letter, explaining that she was working for a decent family with two interesting daughters and that she was being given an invaluable apprenticeship which would only help her when she came to study. In view of this, she would like to postpone her course for two years.

She felt a lot better having written that. Now she had to find the perfect moment to speak to the Duchess.

Two days later, an envelope arrived with Glasgow University stamped across its front. As soon as she was able, Marion hurried back to her room and closed the door. Her hands shook as she read the single page:

Dear Miss Crawford,

We confirm receipt of your letter regarding your place on our child psychology course.

Unfortunately, while we can accept your withdrawal, we cannot carry your name forward to any future student intakes.

Our applicants are selected on merit, and it may be that there are more suitable candidates ahead of you in two years’ time.

Please confirm by return post your acceptance or withdrawal for this year.

Yours sincerely,

Miss B.A. Young

Secretary to the Dean

Well, there it was. No help at all.

It was Alah who heard the sniffles coming from Marion’s room and knocked on the door.

She quickly wiped her eyes. ‘Who is it?’

‘Alah. Are you quite all right?’

‘I’m fine, thank you.’

‘Had I better come in and see for myself?’ Alah opened the door without waiting for an answer. Marion was sitting with her back turned, looking out at the garden.