"They're nothing like the rumors. Before dinner, everyone in the Thorne family washed their hands with soap, and they didn't start eating until Uncle Felix picked up his chopsticks. They have excellent manners. Plus, Aunt Aurelia was so warm and hospitable. I ate my fill."
Clayton Xavier shared his impressions. What surprised him most was the Thorne family's table etiquette. You'd be hard-pressed to find that kind of decorum even among city folk, let alone in a rural village.
A flicker of surprise crossed the old madam's otherwise calm face. A dinner table is a microcosm of the world. If they could maintain such etiquette at meals, it meant the Thorne family's character was absolutely sound. The rumors truly were baseless.
"Your mother was right. The Thornes are good people to associate with. As long as you understand that, it's fine."
