They were interrupted by the arrival of Nicky’s uncle, Paul.

Dismissing Count Benckendorff, she ran towards him, saying urgently, ‘Have you news of Nicky? The last we heard, his train had been diverted to Pskov.’

‘Yes, I have news.’ His face was grey with fatigue.

‘Is he still at Pskov? Have you spoken to him on the phone? I haven’t been able to – all our lines are down. Please tell me he is all right and that he will be home soon. The children are so ill and . . .’

‘He’s all right, Alicky. And he will be home soon.’ And then, breaking the dreadful news as gently as he could, he said, ‘But when he comes home, it will not be as Tsar.’

She stared at him, not understanding. Not even beginning to understand.

‘He’s abdicated, Alicky. Both for himself and for Alexei.’

‘Abdicated? Abdicated?’ She tottered backwards and he thought she was about to fall. As he reached out to steady her, she pushed him violently away. ‘How can Nicky abdicate?’ There was hysteria in her voice. ‘He is God’s anointed!’

She was clutching at her heart and he was terrified she was about to have a heart attack.

‘He had no choice. Every regiment and battalion in the Army has joined the revolution.’

‘All of them? All? Even the Cossack Escort and the Garde Equipage?’

‘All of them. The Navy has mutinied. Not even the Duma is loyal to him any more.’

‘Oh, my poor darling!’ There was deep passion in her voice, and he knew she was referring not to him, but to Nicky. ‘To have had to undergo all this by himself! To have had to make such a decision with no one there to guide or to support him. It doesn’t bear thinking about.’

Her legs gave way and she half-fell into the nearest chair. ‘How could Nicky abdicate on Alexei’s behalf? To be Emperor of Russia is Alexei’s birthright! That Misha is now Tsar is unbelievable.’

‘He isn’t Tsar, Alicky. Misha abdicated within the hour. And Kyril hasn’t become Tsar. Kyril,’ he added, ‘has thrown in his lot with the revolutionaries, even to the extent of flying a red flag on his car.’

She stared at him, struggling to believe that a close member of the family could have behaved in such a way. Dazed, her head spinning, she said, ‘Then in the name of God, who is now ruling Russia?’

‘I’ve no idea, and I’m not staying around to find out. I’ve lived in France before, and I intend living in France again. For the sake of Alexei and the girls, will you now do what I know Misha has already asked you to do? Will you leave Petrograd and join either Minny in Livadia or Miechen in Kiev, before what is being called “the Soviet” puts you and the children under house arrest?’