Oh, to be a child again with such an innocent mind. Hope had missed having a smaller child in the house. Children had the freshest perspective on just about everything. Still, she led her son to the settee and sat herself down, patting the cushion beside her. "A circumstance," she emphasised, speaking the word slowly to guide his pronunciation, "is another word for situation or event. Such as right this moment, I find myself in the circumstance of explaining what a circumstance is." She grinned broadly, gesturing with her hands. "The word can also take other meanings when paired with certain other words. A financial circumstance is a polite way to phrase that someone's wealth has recently changed, or is in the process of changing, for example."

It was all probably far too advanced for the five-year-old, but then, he had asked. And then he had continued on into her appearance. Oh, dear. "No, no, Percy," she said sweetly, gliding her fingers into his hair, "you wouldn't want a stranger to see me like this. It would be horribly indecent. I'm technically in my underclothes." Slowly, she stood, clicking her fingers together to call the lady's maid before she shed her dressing gown. The maid slipped up behind her, helping her into the corset cover.

"As for a person with a tail making shirts, I don't think it'd be a good idea to mention having a tail to a tailor," she giggled. "I don't know why they're called tailors. Never looked into the word's origins. They're just called tailors — and technically, shoemakers are also called cobblers." Not that she needed to throw that in, but there it was.

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