‘Her concerns?’ Alicky’s eyes flashed fire. ‘Her concerns were that she had seen Grishka in the girlies’ bedrooms – and if he was in the girlies’ bedrooms, it was with my knowledge. He is their friend, as well as our friend. Tatiana and Olga are fifteen and sixteen and are old enough to regard him as a confessor and a confidant, and he gives them good and true spiritual advice, as he does to Nicky and myself. And there – unless we are to fall out very seriously – is an end of it.’

Ella had known the conversation was going to be difficult, but she hadn’t realized quite how difficult. Determined not to leave until she had said everything she had come to say, she pressed the point, ‘Sophie Tiutcheva saw Rasputin in the girls’ rooms while they are getting ready for bed, Alicky. She has seen him sitting on their beds and behaving with indecent affection towards them.’

‘Just as you and I would sit on their beds and be affectionate towards them! The only difference being that he says their prayers with them. You, of all people, should understand and respect such devout holiness.’

Sick at heart, Ella knew there was nothing left but to be starkly blunt. ‘Other talk on the streets is that Nicky never appoints his ministers without first taking Rasputin’s advice, and the ultimate end of such a practice will be demands for Nicky to abdicate.’

For a second she thought Alicky was going to hit her. ‘Abdicate? Nothing will ever induce a God-appointed tsar to abdicate! How could he do so? Being Tsar is not something Nicky has chosen to be! It is something God has chosen him to be. And what better advice could Nicky ever take, in ruling Russia, but to take the advice of a holy man of God?’

Knowing she had failed miserably in what she had set out to do, Ella said, ‘Your blindness, where Rasputin is concerned, will be your downfall, Alicky. And not only your downfall, but the downfall of the entire monarchy. Everyone at court and in the government wants to see Rasputin banished – not only for the way he has brought the monarchy into disrepute, but for the influence he has over yourself and Nicky. A tsar taking advice from a theatrical upstart peasant? It’s insanity, Alicky. If you want the dynasty to survive, you must get rid of him.’

White with fury, Alicky sprang to her feet. ‘You may be the sister next to me in age, Ella, but never, ever speak to me again as you just have!’