Choosing her for a nanny? Like it was a privilege to get the job... Ruth was surprised the woman hadn't turned on a heel yet. She had assumed that she would have to convince the woman to choose the job, not the other way around.

Mrs. Howards daughter came in with a pot of tea and a tiered cake stand with small cakes and sandwiches. She seemed reluctant to be there and receded as quickly as she had put the things down. Ruth paid no mind to it. There was enough about this situation to baffle her. She was trying to think of how a lady would respond to Miss Wells' words, for she figured it probably wasn't the 'please take my kids' that was on her tongue.

"I see..." she said to buy herself time. She lifted the teapot. "Tea?" Without waiting for a response, she filled the aspiring nanny's cup. The pot was fuller than she had thought and she overfilled the cup and spilt all over the saucer and tablecloth. "Fuck!"