Nat had already been comfortably situated in the Dempsey family parlor with a book when Mrs. Dempsey had come through. She didn't know Phyri's sister-in-law all that well and she tried to mind her manners when the Minister's wife was around, but the question about hosting a tea caught her completely off guard. Did she look like she would know? If it had been Phyri, that would have been exactly her response, but clearly she couldn't do that.

"Surely your staff knows?" Wasn't that the housekeeper's job? Nat had no idea, she hadn't had household staff of her own in quite some time. Once upon a time, she had thought she would know how to run a home, when it had been her only in goal in life to be a wife and mother, but now, years and a lot of life later, she had all but thought it a fantasy. It had been a long time since she'd even attended a formal tea, but she might be able to dredge up some insights, if needed.