The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper

duke read the important documents in the official boxes the king shares with him.”
    Perhaps she is right, I thought, though I dared not voice it, for it seemed to me, even here at York Cottage, the walls could have ears. Alexandra resented May’s interest in affairs of state because they were beyond her, and the king knew it. Or perhaps the queen’s resentment of May stemmed from the fact she had some sway over her, whereas Her Majesty had no way to get back at the king’s favorite mistress and advisor, Alice Keppel, who was known to also weigh in on governmental matters.
    â€œNow about us getting shuffled off like this . . .” Helene began before her voice trailed off. She shook her head, and her curls bounced against her pink-powdered cheeks. “It’s the way with us in service, isn’t it, even those of us who are more intimate with the royals than, say, the scullery maid or hall boy? I often wonder if, in heaven, there will be these class differences. We are not good enough to mix with some of them, but good enough to bring up their children, the highest in the land too. It does not make people more loyal to be snubbed and ignored. Those boys should be here right now conjugating verbs! Why, I heard that George’s cousin, Kaiser Wilhelm—Cousin Willie, they call him—might visit again, and I want David and Bertie to greet him properly in his native language. Oh, I despair of all these delays!”
    I only nodded at first. Lately, though I kept it to myself—even from Rose and Mabel—I knew all about despair. I fought to keep my mind on the children. “At least Bertie’s stuttering seems to bebetter lately, though he’s so frustrated by those dreadful splints he has to wear. Helene, he begs Finch to let him do without at night, and sometimes Finch agrees.”
    â€œWorse, soon we’re to have a tutor to set up a proper schoolroom, and I’ll only have a bit of their time then. Whatever are we going to do and whatever is this world coming to?”
    We both froze as a shrill whoop from David sounded clear from downstairs where their grandfather was no doubt entertaining in fine fashion. Why, I’d heard at a formal dinner he’d brought the boys in and put butter pats on both of his pant legs, then let them cheer to see which would melt and run down first. It was so good to see them happy, but then we were all left with settling them down. The king was already promising them that they would be invited to his sixtieth birthday party and get to stay up late and eat anything they wanted. Now, that could be a battle royal with their father.
    â€œOh-oh,” I said, popping up from my chair. “I hear Her Majesty’s voice in the hall. Time to go and pick up the pieces. I had to do that literally last time. Harry grabbed and broke her three-strand pearl choker, and I had to fish them—big as chickpeas, they were—out of the soapy water.”
    I gave Helene’s shoulder a little squeeze and hurried out and down the hall. “Mrs. Lala,” the queen’s voice boomed out, “we have dried and dressed little Harry and put him down for a nap. Mary is playing with her new baby doll. I do believe you have the most wonderful job in the kingdom, caring for those lovely children. Perhaps we should change places for a day,” she said and laughed as I curtsied and edged toward the nursery door. “And I’ve kept count of my little menagerie of agate animals David so adores, and you’ve done a find job keeping him honest . . . you and Finch.”
    â€œThank you, Your Majesty. I believe he is coming along nicely.”
    I noted her peacock blue walking suit and yellow silk parasol were both speckled with soapy water. Her beige mushroom hat with its cotton netting poufs had slipped to the side, and its three ostrich feathers were dripping water down her back. Rose had taught me well to record fashions for her while