‘I’m afraid that is not possible, Pussy-cat.’

‘Dear Papa, of course it is!’ Panic rose in May’s throat. ‘How can we possibly leave England? How can we leave White Lodge and Kensington Palace? The person who suggested that we do so deserves to have their ears boxed!’

Looking old beyond his years, the Duke of Teck sat down heavily at the room’s vast dining table.

May’s heart caught in her throat. She loved her temperamental father dearly. Although he frequently erupted with exasperation at the annoyances of daily life, and when dealing with her brothers, Dolly, Alge and Frank, he never did so with her. Something else she liked about him was that, unlike other men in the family, he far preferred artistic pursuits to the eternal round of long weekends hunting, shooting and fishing. No one could create a garden as spectacularly as her father, or tend one as lovingly. No one could choose and arrange furniture with such an unerring eye, or know which of his wife’s hats went best with which of her dresses. She had long sensed that these admirable qualities were sniggered at by some male members of the family, and particularly by her Uncle Wales.

As soon as Uncle Wales came into her mind, May was certain she knew where the offensive suggestion of exile had come from.

‘Exile is Uncle Wales’s idea, isn’t it? And it’s one of his cruel teases, Papa. It isn’t something to be taken seriously.’ She was so relieved it was a tease that she could have cried.

Instead of sharing her relief, her father winced. Fiddling with his still-unlit pipe, he hesitated and then, knowing the moment could be put off no longer, said, ‘The suggestion wasn’t made by Uncle Wales, May. It came from the palace.’

She stared at him, still not understanding.

‘The suggestion was made by the Queen, so now you understand how impossible it is to for me to take no notice of it or,’ he added, in a bleak attempt at humour, ‘for me to box her ears.’

May didn’t respond with even a glimmer of a smile. She felt as if she’d been hit by a sledgehammer. Coming from Aunt Queen, the suggestion had all the force of a royal command. Slowly she sat down at the table next to him.

He put his pipe down and took her hands in his. ‘I have still to tell Mama, and intend doing so this evening. I am telling you now because I want you with me when I break the news to her. Perhaps a couple of years abroad will not be so bad. We could stay with Mama’s relatives at Neu Strelitz, or with my relatives in Stuttgart.’