“All right,” Jack interrupted. “I can see you’re both passionate about your education. I shall take all special requests into consideration.”
Annie narrowed her eyes. “You will?”
“I promise.” He set down the book to give them his full attention. “According to the world’s most demanding ten-year-olds, what characteristics constitute the perfect governess?”
“Clever,” Annie said at once.
“Fun,” Frederick added immediately.
“Cheerful.”
“Witty.”
“Imaginative.”
“Fearless.”
“French,” Annie said firmly.
“Good at hoops,” Frederick added.
“Good at horse-riding,” Annie countered.
“Good at everything.”
Annie rubbed her belly. “Especiallymille-feuille.”
“And ‘remèdes.’”
“With…” Annie stared at her brother helplessly. “…brown hair.”
Frederick shook his head. “Mm, more of a biscuit color.”
“Definitely biscuit-colored hair,” Annie agreed. “Kind of not-quite-burnt biscuits.”
“But brown eyes.”
Annie held up a finger. “Good hugs.”
“Wonderfulhugs,” Frederick corrected.
“And not afraid of frogs,” Annie finished.
Both twins looked at him expectantly.
Jack understood the message.
“That is a tall order,” he said slowly. “What if I found a governess like that, but she had other plans?”
Annie gripped his hand. “You’d have to convince her to stay.”
Frederick nodded. “Convince her we’re afamily. Families stay together.”
“What if that’s the reason she can’t stay? Because she already has a family who’s going somewhere else, and they also think families should stay together?”
Annie’s lip trembled. “Then… then life isn’tfair.”
Jack’s heart clenched in sympathy.
His children’s temporary governess had perhaps taught them the hardest lesson of all.
