May didn’t find this a satisfactory answer, but knew it was as good an answer as she was likely to get. She also knew it was a subject that she shouldn’t have brought up, and one it would be wisest not to pursue.

Beginning to walk again, and as Georgie fell into step beside her, she said, ‘How long do you think it will be before you’ll be well enough to re-join your ship?’

Georgie fumbled in his overcoat pocket and withdrew a bag of sweets. ‘I’ve no idea. To tell the truth, I’m quite enjoying being on dry land. Would you like a bullseye, May? I never go anywhere without them.’

Luncheon was a buoyant affair, for Sir Dighton had the table in fits of laughter with tales of India and of how, when wandering unarmed from his tent one evening for a quiet smoke, he had come face-to-face with a tiger and had eyeballed it and yelled, ‘Be off, sir!’ and the tiger had immediately cut and run. The only person not in high spirits was Eddy.

May looked at him in concern, suddenly aware of how little he seemed to be enjoying himself. He was abnormally flushed, and she said with a frown, ‘Are you feeling all right, Eddy?’

‘No. Truth to tell, May, I feel damned peculiar. I think I’ve caught a chill.’

The second that luncheon was over, May sought out Georgie. ‘Eddy isn’t well,’ she said, ‘and I think he has a temperature. Would you help me walk him home? He needs putting to bed before he gets any worse.’

‘This is very kind of the two of you, but you’re both fussing far too much.’ Eddy’s words, as they walked him home, didn’t hold conviction, for he had a raging headache, was dizzy and his legs clearly felt like jelly.

‘Sodding influenza!’ Being a sailor, Georgie’s language was constantly peppered with swear words. ‘Why couldn’t it have waited another few days before laying you low? It’s going to bugger up tomorrow’s birthday party.’

‘As I feel at the moment, Georgie, I couldn’t care less about my birthday party. I’m just upset that the day will be spoilt for May.’

‘Then don’t be, for all that matters to me is you feeling better again.’ May was all brisk efficiency. ‘Georgie is going to put you to bed and I’m going to arrange for hot-water bottles and hot lemon barley-water to be sent to your room.’

As they stepped over Sandringham’s threshold, Eddy said, ‘I’m not in my own bedroom, May. There are so many people here this week that my room is being used as a guest room, and at the moment I’m in a little room next to the one Georgie and I once used as a study.’