Churchill was direct. He told Tree that he wished to spend the upcoming weekend at Ditchley, and that he would be arriving with a number of guests and a full complement of staff and protective guard. Tree was delighted; his wife, thrilled. Whether they quite knew what they were in for is open to question. Churchill’s descent upon the house had more in common with one of Hitler’s blitzkriegs than a tranquil arrival for a weekend in the country.
