Her rapture in the evening was marred when his mother tucked her hand through Eddy’s free arm, even though Eddy still had the other arm around May’s waist, saying, ‘The party may be far from over, but I’ve had enough of skating for one evening. Escort me indoors, if you will, Eddy darling.’

Eddy shot May an apologetic look and, suppressing a sigh, she removed her arm from his.

As Eddy and his mother disappeared into the band of darkness that lay between the lamplit lake and the house, Looloo said, ‘I doubt you will see Eddy again this evening, May. Motherdear will want him to stay with her and have a game of bezique. Her possessiveness, where Eddy is concerned, is something you will have to get used to. We have had to.’

‘We?’

‘Toria, Maudie and I. Not Georgie. Motherdear is nearly as possessive about Georgie as she is about Eddy. Her possessiveness is why you will be living at Sandringham after your marriage. Motherdear doesn’t intend your marriage to cause the slightest change in her relationship with Eddy.’

May’s gloved fingers dug deep into her palms. If that was Motherdear’s vision of the future, she was going to be disappointed, for thanks to Aunt Queen and the Prime Minister, she and Eddy wouldn’t be living at Sandringham when they married; instead they would be far away across the Irish Sea, in Dublin.

The next morning was spent in the billiard room with Eddy, Dolly, Alge and Christle.

‘You won’t be too bored, will you, sweetheart?’ Eddy asked, when telling May of his plans for the day and assuming she would be a spectator.

‘No, but we’re going to be an odd number, aren’t we? If we play each other, and Dolly and Alge play each other, who will Christle play?’

He chuckled. ‘Billiards isn’t a card game, May. It isn’t a game for ladies.’

May had been playing billiards since childhood with Dolly and Frank, and she opened her eyes wide and said in feigned innocence, ‘Oh, but I would love to give it a try. Please say I can.’

‘All right.’ He smiled down at her indulgently. ‘Before we men start playing, I don’t see why you shouldn’t pot a few balls if it will amuse you.’

When they gathered in the billiard room Eddy announced, ‘May wants to try her hand at potting a few balls.’ Alge’s eyebrows rose and he was about to protest that May didn’t need to ‘try her hand’ when Dolly dug him hard in the ribs. Handing May a cue and joining in the joke, he said, ‘The table is all set up, Sis. Do your best. It isn’t as easy as it looks.’