“Form before fashion,” Anna murmured.

“What?”

Anna managed a rueful grin. “I’m sorry. I have a bad tendency to mumble. Tell me, what do the children hope to gain by playing such pranks? They must know they are only making Lord Greyley angry.”

“They hope to so disgust His Lordship that he will send them off to live with Lady Putney.”

Anna frowned. “Does Lady Putney encourage such behavior?”

Mrs. Stibbons smoothed the edge of a curtain to a more sedate angle. “In my opinion, she’s the source behind most of their pranks. She has sway over them, she does. Brings them sweets every time she sees them. And toys, too. Anything to win them over.”

“Bribery.”

“Exactly. It’s what they’re used to. I heard tell that their parents were very busy socially and left the children to be raised by a parcel of servants. They’ve used their knowledge of such to get rid of most of the governesses His Lordship has hired.”

So the children were experts on governesses, were they? That was interesting information, indeed. “I daresay His Lordship’s gruff manners play very much against him.”

“As much as I respect His Lordship, he can be a mite terse. Children don’t understand those things, miss. You know how it is.”

Anna nodded thoughtfully. ’Tell me, Mrs. Stibbons. What is it that the children like to do most?”

“Riding. They love their ponies, they do. And they’d be gone all day if His Lordship would allow it. But he only lets them ride on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. He’s quite particular about schedules.”

“So I’ve heard,” Anna said dryly. “His Lordship and I disagree on that item. I dislike being held to a set of rules for no reason other than to create the impression of order, whether it exists or not.”

Mrs. Stibbons looked doubtful. “That sounds very reasonable, miss. Just don’t expect His Lordship to like it.”

“I don’t expect His Lordship to like it one bit. Fortunately he’s not in the nursery. The children are.”

“He’s there more than you might think,” Mrs. Stibbons said.

“In the nursery?”

“His Lordship is very particular when it comes to his responsibilities. He visits the nursery quite frequently to see how the children are and how the new governess is getting on.” She pursed her lips. “Seems we’ve always got a new governess. I’ll be glad to see one stay longer than two weeks.”

“Oh, I intend on being here for three months, at least,” Anna said smoothly. “Whether the children like it or not.”

“I wish you luck,” Mrs. Stibbons said with a doubtful look. “You’ll be needin’ it if you are planning on ignoring His Lordship’s schedule.”

Anna thought she’d need more than luck. She’d need every ounce of her persuasive abilities. Greyley was not a man who welcomed change and he was about to face quite a bit more than he realized.

Mrs. Stibbons stirred the fire, then replaced the poker in the brass stand. “I suppose I should get to work. Do you need anything else, miss?”