Taking a preparatory deep breath, he turned back to the house and climbed the steps to the door.

‘Good morning, Sir Alan.’ Ainslie seamlessly took Tommy’s summer coat and panama hat.

‘Hello, Ainslie. Is the King here yet?’

‘No, sir, I believe he is still at the Castle. There was a rather late dinner party last night. We are not expecting His Majesty and his guest for another hour.’

‘Hmm. And his weekend guest is?’

‘Mrs Simpson, sir.’

‘Hmm,’ Tommy said again.

Ainslie blinked, but did not comment. ‘Their Royal Highnesses are waiting on the terrace.’

Tommy followed Ainslie across the hall, through the drawing room and out on to the beautiful terrace overlooking Windsor Great Park.

Ainslie announced him. ‘Sir Alan, ma’am.’

The Duchess was sitting under a vast parasol, watching the Princesses, who were sitting on the lawn, counting with their eyes closed.

Tommy addressed the Duchess. ‘Good morning, ma’am.’ He inclined his neck in the perfect courtier’s bow.

‘Ah, Tommy. Would you like a drink before lunch?’

‘A small gin and tonic would be just the ticket, thank you.’

‘Very good, sir.’ Ainslie withdrew to the drawing room.

The Duchess looked across the lawn. ‘The Duke is playing hide and seek. He’s awfully good. Can you see him?’

Tommy peered into the sun. In a small copse of five silver birches, he caught a flash of a royal trousered leg dangling from a branch.

‘Ah, I may have caught a glimpse but mum is the word.’

The Duchess laughed. ‘We had rather a late party last night.’

Ainslie appeared with a clinking gin and tonic and withdrew once more.

Tommy kept his eyes on the garden. ‘Oh yes?’

‘The King and his friend Mrs Simpson were here.’

Tommy’s eyes didn’t waver. ‘Ah.’

The Duchess looked closely at him. ‘Thank you for joining us today. I hope it hasn’t mucked up any plans you may have had?’

He sipped his drink. ‘Not at all, ma’am.’

Shouts of ‘Coming to find you, ready or not!’ came across the garden.

The Duchess waved and smiled, then said, ‘How is it, working with the King?’

‘It’s an honour to serve, ma’am.’

Her girls had found the Duke’s hiding place and were now being chased by him.

The Duchess said, ‘I recall you actually resigned from his service, when he was Prince of Wales.’

Tommy looked into his glass without an answer.

‘I believe you disapproved of his lifestyle at that time. What do you think of it now?’

‘Ma’am, I serve our King. I do not judge him.’

The Duchess laughed. ‘A courtier’s answer, if ever I heard one.’

The Duke came across the lawn, wiping his brow. ‘I could do with a drink – where’s Ainslie? Ah, hello Tommy. You need a top-up, by the looks of your glass.’

Ainslie reappeared, took the orders and disappeared again.

A pleasant hour idled by, as the conversation flitted between roses, cricket and a Beethoven concert that had been on the wireless. The Princesses were charming and polite. They greeted Tommy, then retreated to a blanket under the shade of the birches, reading their books and pouring glasses from a jug of lemonade.