The dining hall table was set with a long white cloth and 5 candelabras. All my extended family were there, aunts, uncles, cousins I had never met before, all dressed in their finery and all sporting titles like Lord and Lady.

I dreaded these events where there were so many rules to remember. My older sister would soon be given away to a suitor and it was all politics around the table.

Green beans, I hated green beans. I saw a mound of them, obviously placed there by a servant who wasn’t Hannah, my regular. These events called for extra servants and Hannah was probably overseeing the kitchen staff. I frowned at my plate.

I stabbed a forkful and when no one was looking, dropped them under the table. Diagonal from me, someone was watching, however. A lad who looked as uncomfortable as I was. He dropped a forkful of beans too. I held in a snicker. His eyes laughed. I dropped my fork. It skidded his direction. Crawling under the table would cause quite a scene. Our eyes met with merriment. We both dove for it