On their first evening they sat in the garden, having sherry before dinner. ‘Nice to have you home,’ Dan said, ‘have the family together again.’ ‘Have a good term?’ Amy asked. ‘Yes,’ Tessa said. ‘It was lovely. I’ve got some snapshots to show you. I’ve got very good at poling a punt. I only fell in once.’ Amy laughed. She looked around the garden, at the height of its summer beauty, the finest summer for years. How could one imagine that all this would ever change? Surely nothing was going to happen? The King and Queen were back home from touring America. They had come back. They obviously hadn’t intended to send for the Princesses and stay in America or Canada, out of danger. That wouldn’t be very good for morale. She looked at the children, half-closing her eyes against the evening sun. They looked well. Charlie especially looked cheerful and full of energy. He must have found Cambridge very much to his liking.
