“Of course. As soon as the children are in bed, I will—”

“Now.” His gaze flickered to the children, who watched with interest. “Please,” he added grimly.

Anna sighed and stood, then followed him out into the hallway. Once there, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her with a frown. “Miss Thraxton, dinner is served at seven in the dining room. Lady Putney and I have been waiting.”

“I’m a governess here, not a guest. It would be highly improper for me to eat dinner with your family.”

“You’ll eat with us,” he said, implacable as ever.

He really was impossible. But he was also her employer, and Anna was not about to cross that bridge. “Lord Greyley, I cannot—”

“Anna?” Grandpapa stood in the hallway, dressed in his best black coat. He peered at her, a question in his blue eyes. “Ah, Greyley found you. The footman came to tell us it was time to go down to dinner, but you were nowhere to be found.”

“I have already eaten.”

“Then eat again,” Grandpapa said. “Come along, my dear. Everyone is waiting.”

Anna tucked a stray tendril of her hair behind one ear. She was tempted. She really was. It would be nice to join Greyley and Grandpapa every evening. She could almost picture herself sitting with them, laughing about some absurd tidbit from the children, feeling like a part of the family. Unfortunately, she knew where such imaginings got one; she’d learned about that from her first position. The memory of that horrid time blurred her imaginations to dust. “Grandpapa, I cannot eat with my employer. It would be improper.”

Greyley made a disgusted noise but she shushed him with a single look. “You should know that. Furthermore, I wish to eat with the children. It’s important that I spend as much time with my charges as possible, especially in the beginning.”

Grandpapa shook his head. “As stubborn as your grandmother. Come on, Greyley. She’s made up her mind. I can see it in her eyes.”

The earl regarded Anna for a moment before he cut a glance toward Grandpapa. “Sir Phineas, I’m glad you, at least, will be joining us. I daresay you know many interesting tidbits from Miss Thraxton’s childhood. She has the advantage of being conversant with mine through her acquaintance with my sister.”

Good Lord, the blasted man was going to trick Grandpapa into telling him all sorts of horrid stories about her. Anna opened her mouth to protest, but Grandpapa was ahead of her.

“Oh the stories I could tell,” he said gaily. “Did you know that Anna is allergic to blueberries? Swells up like a balloon. One time, when she was six, she—”

“Grandpapa, I don’t think the earl is interested in hearing about me.”

“Aren’t I?” Greyley asked.

Grandpapa waved a hand. “Never think it, my dear. The earl is interested in all his guests. Now, if you’ll excuse me, we left Lady Putney alone. Think I’ll join her until you two are finished here.” He limped away, leaving Anna and the earl in the hallway.