Paul drained his glass and said, ‘Every last person in Russia believes Alicky is his mistress and, when Rasputin is constantly in the bedrooms at the Alexander Palace and Nicky is hundreds of miles away in Russian Poland at the Stavka, you can’t blame them for thinking that. There are times when I’ve come damn near to thinking it myself.’

‘The last time she showed her face in public, people began shouting “Niemetzkaia bliad”.’ There was a raw edge to Misha’s voice, ‘Because her Russian has never been more than basic, she didn’t understand they were calling her the German whore. But that isn’t the really serious stuff, is it? The serious stuff is that it’s obvious from despatches that the military secrets Nicky shares with her, she then shares with Rasputin.’

Miechen looked towards Nikolai for confirmation and he nodded. ‘It’s true, Miechen. There are rumours sweeping the country that both she and Rasputin are German spies and, as she is a German, it is why – one way or another – both of them have to go. Unless they do so, and soon, there’s going to be a full-scale revolution and, when Nicky is brought down by it, we will be brought down with him.’

Miechen’s reaction was swift and blunt. ‘Then the only answer is Nicky’s abdication.’

Ella said cautiously, ‘Kyril and Ducky aren’t with us, Miechen, and as Kyril is third in line to the throne, he needs to be with us if abdication is to be under discussion.’

‘Kyril isn’t with us because Nicky posted my son as far away from Petrograd as possible and he’s serving with the Northern Fleet in Murmansk.’ Miechen’s voice was clipped and tight.

‘And Ducky is ambulance-driving at the Front.’ Felix, who rarely admired anyone other than himself, was obviously deeply impressed. ‘She has formed her own ambulance unit. Every driver is a woman. I’ve suggested they descend on the battlefields bare-breasted, like the women warriors of Greek mythology. It would give severely injured men a reason to live, don’t you think?’

With difficulty, Nicky’s brother Misha put from his mind the arousing picture Felix had conjured up. ‘Alexei is still a child, Miechen. If Nicky abdicated, who would act as regent?’

‘As Dowager Empress, Minny would. Or she and Paul could act as co-regents.’

There was silence, but it was silence because no one had any objections to what Miechen had said – or wouldn’t have, if it could be achieved.

Paul said grimly, ‘Such a prospect could only happen if Rasputin was no longer on the scene. With Rasputin pulling Alicky and Nicky’s strings, Nicky is unlikely to abdicate, no matter what pressure we, as a family, bring to bear on him.’