As for her former Kindred Spirit, Willy – she now thought of him as the devil incarnate, for it was Willy who had broken the blood-pact he had sworn to decades ago at Osborne. She remembered as if it were yesterday May asking what would happen if the pact was ever broken, and she recalled her own reply: that to break it would be to bring about something more terrible that could ever be imagined; something so terrible it would be like the end of the world.

She was in her mauve boudoir, counting off the hours until Nicky and Alexei arrived home from the Stavka, the Russian Army Headquarters situated in the deep forest of Poland, halfway between Moscow and Warsaw.

When war had broken out, Nicky had appointed his cousin, Grand Duke Nikolai, as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and for the first weeks of the war Russia had enjoyed exhilarating victories, but the victories hadn’t lasted. When Russia began suffering a series of defeats, Nicky had dismissed Nikolai and taken overall command himself. It hadn’t been a popular move within the family, but both she and Nicky were long accustomed to receiving criticism from his family, whatever it was they did.

Even though it meant the agony of long separations between the two of them, Alicky had been fully supportive of Nicky’s action. He was the Tsar and, as Tsar, his rightful place was to be in overall command. She had even been supportive when he had suggested that Alexei spend time with him at the Stavka. ‘He will enjoy feeling part of the Army that will, after all, one day be his army,’ Nicky had said, adding sheepishly, ‘And he will also be able to sleep in my quarters and be company for me.’

Nicky’s new role had also meant a new role for Alicky – one she had undertaken with great uncertainty in the beginning, but which she now felt quite at home in. At the Stavka, Nicky couldn’t fulfil his autocratic task of governing the country and so, with his blessing and with Rasputin by her side to offer advice, she had begun doing it for him. Doing so exhilarated her. Her darling Nicky had always been too hesitant when it came to changing ministers; he didn’t possess her inner certainty and iron will. Now in a position where she could bring about change, she had set about doing so and had earned her darling Nicky’s gratitude.

Olga ran into the room. ‘Word has come that Papa and Alexei are on their way here from the station. Their cars will be arriving any minute!’