Nanny Diaries 3 - Pride and Prejudice

Progress of Sorts

My mother left us in our child-carriers. She had pushed the four-seater containing me, Nicola and her younger sisters, down to the park, and Mama had pushed the other one, with Caris and the Brewster sisters. It was the Saturday afternoon, twenty hours after I had punched Danvers on the nose, and I was sitting in the pushchair, still a nursling and very much one of the litter as mum decided to have a coffee at the café. It was a lovely June day, and the eight of us were wearing pink and white sailor suit dresses with matching hats and pacifiers. Mum had chosen our outfits, not Mama, because mum seemed to be in charge. It had been her footsteps I heard on the stairs, although Mama and Sheila Blackstone were both behind her, and as soon as I saw the pacifiers in their mouths, I knew that we had won a battle, nor the entire war. Working as a team, they got everyone up, changed and fed, before dressing us and taking us downstairs for breakfast. Mum hardly mentioned the night before, only saying that we were all making a fresh start, but one thing was very noticeable; she was not being mean to Mama, or Sheila. She might have been in charge of us, presumably at Papa's behest, but she gave no indication that she was in charge of her two friends. In fact, quite the opposite. She checked several things with Mama during our morning together, and was polite and kind to Sheila, both of whom responded with smiles and cooperation. But she did not remove their pacifiers much either. Not until the three of them were sitting around a table on the terrace for any length of time, and a polite waitress delivered three large cappuccinos to her.

"I thought the girls could sit quietly for a little while, Helen?" Mum said, as she took out the comforter. "Colin was just a little worried about them mixing in the play area...and I promised I would check out the lay of the land before letting them roam?"

"Of course, Elizabeth...he doesn't want them upset...but I doubt anyone will say anything to them, myself." Mama replied, perfectly politely.

"Not with tales of Daphne's right hook doing the rounds..." Sheila grinned, before hiding her face in her coffee cup and winking at me.

"Sheila...that is not something we should joke about..." Mum protested with a sigh, as if she was horrified to be reminded of the incident.

"I am sure people will talk, Elizabeth...but we will not...and I don't think the other young lady concerned will be telling tales either...it is best forgotten, I believe." Mama said, reaching out to pat my knee and adding her smile to Sheila's wink, which both pleased and confused me at the same time. On the face of it, nothing much seemed to have changed at home. Mama was still under discipline, and mum was there, nominally in charge, with Sheila assisting like some sort of nursery nurse. But I could tell that it was different, from the way mum was talking to the two exquisitely dressed Daughters of Eve, and the way they were talking to her.

"Perhaps we shouldn't discuss this now...Colin has asked me to..." Mum began, but Mama did not let her finish your sentence.

"My husband asked you to help the family a little more, Elizabeth...because we think of you and Barry as part of the family...including me, of course...and the girls do really need to know how the land lies...but they will not repeat anything they hear...will you, my darlings?" Mama said, looking down at the two child-carriers, where eight little girls shook their heads, much to her amusement. "Papa is an important man, with responsibilities...and we will all be adhering strictly to the doctrine...another nanny will be appointed...but you and I will supervise her and any assistants...whilst I will respect your good advice and rely on your support, as Papa expects me to spend more time socialising and supporting church activities. And we both trust that you will not allow any of us to let Papa down, whilst ensuring that our new staff look after the girls properly and fairly...like my own mother would, if she could be here."

"It is a very suitable arrangement...keeping things within the family...and I am allowed to help because Daphne is going to marry my youngest boy...which means our friendship will be cemented in blood...something my fiancé approves of...as Deepdene will need people like Daphne more than ever in the future." Sheila Blackstone said evenly, raising an eyebrow at me as I stared up at her. "Saving face all round...but it is a shame that Madeleine and her daughter have moved back to her brother's house..."