‘And despite their both having spent years at sea,’ she continued, ‘neither of them have – or, in dear Eddy’s case, had – any understanding or appreciation of foreign cultures, an accusation that cannot be levelled at you, after your years in Italy studying art and European civilization. And so, just as you would have for darling Eddy, you will be able to compensate for all that dear Georgie lacks, and I know of no one else of the right rank, religion, education and temperament able to do that in the way you will be able to. For that reason, May, when Georgie proposes to you – and he will be doing so on his return from Greece – I very much hope you will accept him.’

May’s head whirled. The Queen believing it best for the country that she marry Georgie was very different from the newspapers thinking so.

‘I must have time to think.’ Her voice was unsteady. ‘I cared for Eddy so much, you see.’

‘And I am glad that you did.’ Queen Victoria had a tender heart and it pained her to see how sincere May’s grief was. ‘But Eddy would be the first person to encourage you to move on with your life – and the only satisfactory way of doing so will be with Georgie.’

Two hours later and back home at White Lodge, May sat on the edge of her bed, a silver-framed photograph of Eddy in her hands. It had been given her by the Queen shortly after Eddy’s funeral, and he was looking heart-stoppingly handsome in full Highland costume, a view of Balmoral behind him. Engraved at the foot of the silver frame were the words ‘DINNA FORGET’ and she knew for a certainty there wasn’t the faintest chance of her ever doing so. But did that mean that she should never move on in her life? And was the Queen right in thinking that her only way of doing so was by marrying Georgie?

No matter how much she thought about things, she couldn’t come up with what her answer was going be, when Georgie asked her to marry him, and she still hadn’t done so when a couple of weeks later Looloo invited her for afternoon tea at Sheen Lodge. Looloo had not long since given birth to a baby girl who had been named Maud, after Maudie. May had only seen baby Maud once, at the christening, and was looking forward to seeing her again.

The first person she saw when she entered Sheen Lodge wasn’t Looloo and baby Maud, but a desperately uncomfortable-looking Georgie.

‘Hello, May,’ he said, looking as if he wished himself anywhere but there. ‘I only got back from Athens yesterday, and I thought I should start visiting family, especially as Looloo and Fife have had an addition.’

‘Yes.’ She made a valiant effort to recover her composure. ‘How were Sophie and Tino?’