I told him to cheer up and he said, “You know why you’re here, don’t you? It means your parents are afraid London is about to get hit again.” He said he feels useless not being able to help, because he’s too young and his eyesight is terrible. Then he fretted about if Hitler took over the world. (Mummy says that won’t happen. I’m a bit scared, but I don’t want to look like a baby so I pretend I’m not.) Then Ellie sat down next to Henry and hugged his arm and said, “Granny told me I will be Queen someday, and I need to learn to stand tall in a storm. But I don’t know how to do that.”

I don’t like being sad, so I said, “Stop moping, ninnies. There’s nothing we can do from here.” I decided the best way to cheer everyone up was to have a mud fight. Ellie said it was too dark and we’d get in trouble and it wouldn’t be safe, but I told her nothing bad could happen if Henry was with us. And then HE said, “You’re quite right, Georgie,” which are words that I do not hear often enough, and then he turned to El and he was so lovely with her. He said, “Why don’t we go stand tall in a storm right now, as we are, and show it we’re not afraid. Of anything,” and he pulled her up and she gave him such a smile and then I realized: ELLIE HAS A CRUSH ON HENRY, which is RIDICULOUS because he is positively ancient. (Although I had a crush on Laurence Olivier last year so I suppose this is rather like that.) Henry took us out through the kitchen, and we jumped in the puddles, and laughed, and got VERY dirty and wet until Mummy called us back inside, and we were in EXTREME TROUBLE. “I expected better,” Mummy said to Henry, and he ran off as fast as he could because you do not argue with Mummy. She said to Ellie, “I don’t know what you’re playing at. You’re third in line for the throne. Do you know what that means?” And Ellie stood up very tall and said, “I am Princess Eleanor and I am showing the storm I’m not afraid.” Mummy spanked us both anyway.

Nick poked his head into our sitting room. “You’ve beaten me for once,” he said.

I waved the diary. “I’ve just met your grandfather.”

“Give him my regards,” Nick said. “Come on, our chariot awaits.”