Page 71 of A Duchess for his Family

“How many are there?”

“That is not the point.” Benedict looked at the biscuits. “An orderly household is not maintained by observing only those rules one finds dramatic enough to remember.”

A new shipment of books had arrived from London, and he imagined Amelia would delight in examining them before they were placed upon the shelves. Marjorie would likely be less interested in the books than in the journey, the horses, and whatever trouble might be discovered between Rivermere and the village. It had been intended as a pleasant offer. Instead, he found himself once again standing before Sophia while she calmly dismantled a decision he believed settled.

“They promised to eat their supper,” Sophia urged.

“That is not the same as waiting for it.”

“They were hungry.”

“Children are frequently hungry when food is visible.”

Marjorie nodded. “That is true.”

Benedict gave her a look. She lowered her eyes to the remaining biscuit.

Sophia set the plate upon the table. “It is still two hours before supper. I did not see the harm.”

“That is becoming a familiar phrase.”

Her expression changed. The warmth left it first.

“I beg your pardon?”

Benedict knew he ought to stop. Nathaniel often accused him of allowing fear to disguise itself as principle, but this was not fear. It was deep, weary frustration sharpened by the certainty that every structure he had built since the girls came to him was being quietly loosened.

“The tree,” he clarified. “Now this.”

She frowned. “You cannot truly compare allowing them a biscuit with permitting Marjorie to climb under supervision.”

“I am comparing two occasions upon which you decided my instructions could be ignored.”

“I did not ignore them.”

“You revised them.”

“Because circumstances required judgment.”

“The purpose of a rule is that it does not alter according to every passing circumstance.”

Sophia rose. Amelia’s hand caught lightly at her sleeve, but Sophia gave the child a reassuring glance before facing him.

“The purpose of a rule,” she replied, “is surely to protect or guide someone. Not to exist merely so that it may be obeyed.”

“It teaches discipline.”

“It was just a biscuit.”

“It is not just the biscuit.”

“No. It appears to be the fact that I made a decision without consulting you.”

“A decision that contradicted mine.”

She folded her arms. “I did not know the third rule of your extensive catalog concerned biscuits.”

“No food before meals.”