Emma could not care less about their stupid rules, for as long as she was the madam of the house there was no way she was going to sit and eat while the other could only wait on her and eat later when there was such a huge table that could accommodate them all, there were chauffers' and two chefs, the guards were keeping guard at the gate and some had gone off with Robert leaving two guards who were appointed to her to be her personal guards leaving those that were far off at the gate she felt it was right for all the others to eat together since the house only had her and Robert.
She felt it was wrong to have such a rule as everyone was like a big family. If Robert had his whole family still living in the mansion it would have been understandable, but he was already an orphan, having only a few aunties living in their own homesteads and were only the two of them in the house. She has always felt that for a servant to be loyal to you you have to treat them as family and not as a servant, not only for them to respect you but also for the harmony of the home.
She had already decided that she would do what was necessary and then send him a message reporting on the same. Well, she was sure he was not going to play difficult with him, he wanted her to be a wife to him, so he was not going to interfere with her decisions in the house that, she was sure.
Ehem..ma'am was it right to take advantage of the man just because you know he might be interested in you...
Just as Emma was still sorting out her thoughts, the butler came in with Magdalene following right behind him, his long black trousers had some dirt at the ends so she figured he might have been in the greenhouse when she sent for Magdalene to call on him.
The butler walked to where she was seated," Ma'am you called for me?"
"Have you had anything to eat for the day yet?"
The butler did not think that it was weird for her to ask, maybe their madam was just that kind. "I am yet to take breakfast ma'am."
"And why is that? You are not as young as them you should be taking care of your body more." The butler was already in his fifties of course it was not okay for him to have his meals at a late hour since he was no longer young, and it could hurt his health as she knew people at that age were prone to getting sick or attracting a disease due to poor dietary and since he had taken care of Robert since he was a baby he was like a father figure to him and so he had to take good care if himself as Robert had already lost his parents.
Emma did not know that she was slowly having concern for her husband. The butler was happy instead by Emma's question, The madam really cared for the household, and it was a good thing. Though he knew his master had married a woman and they were staying in the city house and not the main one he had heard that it was only a transaction marriage, and there was no love between them.
As he had taken care of his master since he was a little boy, he knew that his master needed someone who would show him love and they would love and support each other. His master had suffered enough from his father's mistakes, and he wanted him to have a happy family of his own so he could shade the coldness he had accumulated over the years,
"I was waiting to eat with the rest of them when they are done with their chores and you have had your meal after they have served you."
Emma looked at all of them with their heads lowered and she felt like she was a very bad mistress like she was one of those people in the movies looking down on their servants.
She gave out a long sigh having their attention," I will have you all eat with me at the same table for every meal, and when am also not here you guys can eat at the table no need to go eat at your living quarters, I will discuss this with Robert so it's not up for discussion, that's how it will be and in case am late outside or woke up late you guys can go ahead and have your food without me."
What she did not tell them was it was very hard for a foodie such as herself to be late when it came to matters concerning her meals.
The butler wanted to say something but with Emma's words he could not find anything to rebut her with and so they all took their seats with nanny Lisa went to call the two guards outside the front door and the chaffers, Emma also sent Mary to take food for the guards at the gates.
There was so much food, and the talking had made Emma feel more hungry after everyone was seated and settled in their respective seats, she went ahead and served herself some food. Emma was busy eating the delicacies in Infront of her when she saw a bowl of soup in front of her. Glancing up she saw the butler smiling at her while scooping more chicken broth soup into her bowl.
Emma felt like crying, she ate everything but there were things she just did not like, especially soup, what is soup, soup is a meaty fragrance without meat, and to someone who loved meat like herself that was pure torture for her. She could not turn down the good gesture from the butler and so she drank the soup in large gulps and was done in no time.