‘It is all I ever think about. Our being together. Making love. Being happy.’

By the time she came off the phone she’d forgotten all about Ducky’s near-manic telephone call.

The next morning it was obvious that Anastasia, too, had measles. All that day no news of what was happening in Petrograd reached Tsarskoe Selo. Helped by Dr Botkin and her two ladies-in-waiting, Alicky nursed her sick children around the clock until she was near to collapsing from exhaustion.

‘You must rest, Your Imperial Majesty,’ Botkin said to her time and again. ‘You cannot keep pushing yourself as you are doing.’

She had taken no notice of him. Alexei’s temperature was now beginning to drop, but Olga’s and Anastasia’s had soared.

Only when she was told that the telephone line to the Stavka was down did she begin to feel uneasy.

‘Mama! Mama!’ she heard Tatiana shouting, ‘I’ve got red spots, too, and my ears are hurting.’

Two days passed. Alexei was over the worst, but was wan and pale. Olga was now delirious with fever, Anastasia was constantly slipping in and out of consciousness and Tatiana had developed abscesses in her ears.

The only member of the family to make physical contact – other than Ducky – was Nicky’s brother, Misha. He arrived by car, striding into the palace in great agitation, saying, ‘You and the children must leave, Alicky! The city is in the complete control of the revolutionaries. It’s a miracle they aren’t yet at Tsarskoe Selo.’

Alicky stared at him as if he was mad. It was incredible to her that Misha would show such panic in the face of danger, and although he was obviously about to head south until the unrest was over, she most certainly was not going to do so.

‘I can’t leave. The children have measles and are in no condition to travel anywhere. Although I now have no communication with Nicky, as all the lines are down, I know he will be on his way here and, when that happens, order will be restored.’

‘Nothing on God’s earth is going to restore order in Petersburg, or in the rest of Russia, while Nicky remains Emperor. It’s over, Alicky. And if you won’t take my word for it – and if you won’t leave for the south and safety, while there is still a chance of you doing so – then you must pray your palace guard are still loyal.’

‘Of course they are still loyal! Why on earth wouldn’t they be?’

‘Because the troops in Petersburg aren’t. One last time, Alicky. Join my mother in Livadia, or join Miechen in Kiev.’

‘No,’ she said unhesitatingly. ‘Nicky will be here soon, and I must be here for him when he arrives.’

Accepting defeat, knowing that he had done his best, which hadn’t been good enough, Misha hugged her, said his goodbyes and left.