Now there were no neat piles and docketings under the green lamp; now there were no simple explanations of difficult matters; now there was nobody to tell her what was right and what was wrong.

She had her secretaries, no doubt: there were Sir Charles Phipps, and General Grey, and Sir Thomas Biddulph; and they did their best.

But they were mere subordinates: the whole weight of initiative and responsibility rested upon her alone.

For so it had to be.

"I am DETERMINED"-- had she not declared it?
--"that NO ONE person is to lead or guide or dictate to ME;" anything else would be a betrayal of her trust.