Alicky, who had risen to greet her sister, seated herself back down on a velvet-upholstered chaise longue, while Ella settled into a nearby chintz-covered armchair. There were no ladies-in-waiting present, and the two gigantic Nubian bodyguards whose sole function was to open and close the double doors to Alicky’s boudoir had, after opening them for Ella, remained outside the room.

They were on their own in complete privacy, two sisters who, for different reasons, both knew deep heartache and who, when younger, had meant the world to each other.

Wondering how she could lead into what she knew was going to be a difficult conversation, Ella said, ‘Ernie intends visiting Moscow later in the year. It would be nice if the three of us could get together.’

Despite the fact that it had also been her intention to start their conversation off with family matters – and family matters that revolved around Ernie – Alicky now had no patience with such prevarication.

‘You haven’t travelled all the way from Moscow to chat about Ernie, Ella. You are here because of the lies Sophie Tiutcheva has filled your head with.’

Ella sucked in her breath. How did Alicky know that Sophie Tiutcheva had spoken to her? Even as she thought the question, the answer came. Alicky knew because the secret police kept her and Nicky informed of everyone’s movements – especially the movements of discontented, dismissed staff. In Nicky and Alicky’s world, no one could be trusted; everyone was regarded as a potential assassin, or the aider and abettor of a potential assassin.

‘I do not think Sophie Tiutcheva has filled my head with lies, Alicky.’ Ella did her best to sound calm and reasonable. ‘She was deeply distressed when she came to see me.’

‘And she came to see you with false stories about Grishka.’

‘Grishka?’ Grishka was a pet diminutive of the name Grigory, and that Alicky was using it as if Rasputin was a much-loved relative appalled her.

‘And whatever she told you would be nothing but vicious lies.’ Angry colour flushed Alicky’s cheeks. ‘Grishka is a holy man of God. He is Nicky’s friend and my friend.’

Ella took a deep, steadying breath. ‘Sophie Tiutcheva has been a very diligent governess to the girls for several years, and I know from the way the girls have always spoken of her that she cares for them a great deal, as they do for her. Why, then, would she have come to you with such disturbing concerns, unless those concerns were valid?’