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minded being on display. What a question!
    And then she added casually, almost apologetically, that the reason for the royal enclosure was that she and Felix had been weekend guests at Balmoral Castle.
    ‘That was when we were living in London, in St James’s, and it was rather a tedious journey coming so far north. Travelling by train makes a considerable difference, of course, but it would have been much pleasanter had we then been settled in Edinburgh.’
    Equally casual, I felt I should mention that my stepbrother Vincent Beaumarcher Laurie was junior physician to the royal household and also lived in St James.
    ‘How marvellous! Such a coincidence that we are friends and both have medical brothers.’ She laughed delightedly. ‘Wonder of wonder – it is indeed a very small world. And do you know I have actually met Dr Laurie? He took care, excellent care, of Felix when he fell and damaged his shoulder during the grouse shoot. A charming man and I gather he is well thought of, especially good with the royal children and grandchildren who, I am told in strict confidence, of course, can be very difficult.’
    The carriage had emerged from the crowd and was heading along the road to Solomon’s Tower.
    ‘At long last! That seemed to take for ever,’ Elma said. And although we both smiled, I thought with pity of the hundreds who had no such good fortuneand were wearily walking home, perhaps some miles away, in what was now one of Edinburgh’s steady downpours.
    ‘Do you often see your stepbrother?’ she asked.
    Alas, a negative response; but the discovery of Vince was a bond indeed, and sitting in the luxury of that elegant carriage, I realised that I had never had a really close female friend. Not even in schooldays and, since my return to Edinburgh, although I had met several friendly-seeming ladies among my clients, our acquaintance was not of a lasting nature.
    I soon learnt to accept that gratitude was not to be mistaken for friendship, and despite being close enough whilst I was sorting out their torrid affairs, the intimacy of knowing so much about them was unhappily a detriment rather than an advantage. Indeed, they seemed anxious afterwards to forget the whole unhappy episode, and the friendship I had often hoped was in the making was nipped in the bud.
    I told myself the reason was that they were too busy with their own lives, but in my heart I knew it was a sop to my pride. Business was business. I had served my purpose and the account was now closed.
    Thankfully I was not expected to do anything for Elma Rice. That was a relief. We shared the same sense of humour and she knew my dear Vince.
    We were approaching Solomon’s Tower.
    ‘Who was the gentleman who spoke to you back there, Rose?’ Obviously curiosity had got the better of her normal diffidence.
    ‘A policeman and a very dashing one.’ She laughedher teasing sidelong glance asking for more information.
    When I said an old friend, she laughed again. ‘The way he greeted you hinted that he would like to be more than that. Am I right?’
    I hardly felt this was an appropriate moment to say, yes, we were lovers once, engaged to be married, in fact. And then the humiliating part. That I had delayed too long in naming the day and Jack, wearied, while in Glasgow on police business had met a new love.
    Sidestepping the question with a polite smile I thanked her for the evening.
    ‘A great pleasure, Rose. I enjoyed it very much, very exciting.’
    ‘Indeed. Such a variety of acts.’
    She seemed reluctant to bring the evening to a close so I asked, ‘Which did you like best?’
    ‘Miss Adela and those darling little dogs.’
    ‘The clowns?’
    She frowned. ‘They were quite splendid, but all that absurd behaviour is really for the children.’
    And a question that had been niggling me. ‘What did you think of Joey?’
    ‘Joey? Which one was he? Was he especially funny? I didn’t notice him in particular.’
    In which case, I must conclude