As directed, I sat at one end of the long table. My eyes met Lord Barnes’s briefly before I directed my gaze toward the two little girls who were squabbling over who was granted permission to sit next to me.
Lord Barnes returned to his coffee and book. This house did not seem to have rules about children being seen and not heard. Perhaps this was part of Nanny Foster’s concern? Myself, I liked to hear children’s voices and thoughts, even if this wasn’t really the way of most households.
“I’ll sit between you.” I patted the places on either side of me. “One here. One there. Will that do?” I asked.
They both nodded and climbed onto the chairs. Josephine shot me a conspiratorial look as if to acknowledge how naughty the “children” were. She took the chair next to Cymbeline.
To my alarm, the Barnes children dived into their food. Weren’t we going to say grace? And why was Lord Barnes reading at the table? Children being allowed to talk was one thing, but this was quite another.
“Are you not hungry, Miss Cooper?” Josephine’s fork was poised midair as she peered at me.
Flynn, with a bite of toast in his mouth, mumbled something I couldn’t decipher to Theo. Fiona hummed softly and swung her legs under the table while spreading jam on her toast. Cymbeline pushed her eggs around her plate, presumably to make it look as if she’d eaten.
Lord Barnes looked up from his book. “Miss Cooper? Is something wrong?” He looked so utterly done in and sad I lost my will to educate them on proper breakfast behavior.
“I don’t know if I should say,” I said.
“No, please. If something’s troubling you, just come out with it,” Lord Barnes said.
I cleared my throat and used my best schoolteacher voice. “First, one shouldn’t read at the table during meals. Secondly, grace should be said before anyone even thinks about picking up a fork. Third, Flynn, we don’t talk with our mouths full.”
A flicker of guilt mixed with amusement crossed Lord Barnes’s face as he closed his book and set it aside. “Anything else, Miss Cooper?”
“Not at the moment,” I said, emboldened by the way the children had all paused in their fevered consumption to stare at me.
“You’re quite right on all counts,” Lord Barnes said. “Would you do the honors, Miss Cooper?”
I nodded. “Put down your forks and bow your heads.”
To my surprise, the children did as I asked. There was a great clattering of forks against china before they all bowed their heads obediently.
“Dear Lord, thank you for the bounty we’re about to enjoy,” I said. “Please watch over us today. Amen.”
A chorus of “amen” came from around the table, before the enjoyment of the meal resumed.
I took a bite from my toast and almost fainted at the divine taste of freshly churned butter on warm bread.
Flynn’s head tilted to one side. “Miss Cooper, how come people can’t talk with their mouths full?”
“Because it’s rude,” I said. “Bad manners.”
“Nanny Foster told us that already,” Theo said to his brother.
“I never heard her,” Flynn said.
Lord Barnes lifted his gaze toward me. “You’re looking well-rested, Miss Cooper.”
“Thank you. I am. The bed in my room was the most comfortable I’ve ever slept on.” I had to hold back my praise of the indoor plumbing. Instead, I ate from the creamy eggs on my plate.
“Were you warm enough, Miss Cooper?” Josephine asked, sounding much too grown-up for thirteen.
“Oh yes. The feather comforter kept me cozy,” I said. “Merry ran a hot bath for me, which was heavenly.” I leaned close to Fiona and whispered, “I was able to wash my hair.”
“I like your hair,” Fiona whispered back.
“I like your hair,” I said. There was a spot of red jam in the middle of her chin. I reached over with my napkin to swipe it away. “But we can’t have a sticky face now, can we?”
Fiona giggled. “I love jam.”