A ray of morning sunlight slipped through a gap in the curtains and fell across the sleeping boy's face. Albert had yet to awaken, but he soon would be.
The door beside the stairs on the second floor was quietly pushed open. A brown-haired girl poked her head inside, her large brown eyes fixed on the boy still sleeping in bed as she softly called, "Albert, time to get up."
When the boy in bed failed to respond, the girl pouted unhappily, pushed the door open, and walked in. A British Shorthair Cat followed behind her.
"Tom, I'm counting on you." The girl placed the shorthair on the bed, gently picked up its tail, and brushed it across the boy's face twice.
Still half-asleep, Albert reached up and pushed the cat's tail away from his face. He opened his eyes to look at his mischievous little sister, covered a yawn with one hand, and greeted her, "Morning, Nia!"
"Dad said he's taking us to London today." Nia blinked as she looked at Albert. "We're going to have your Eton College uniform tailored and buy the things on the list while we're there."
"Okay, got it. I'll get changed." Albert covered another yawn, picked up the shorthair stretching its claws atop the blanket, set it on the floor, stretched lazily, and began changing. Then he washed up and headed downstairs to the living room for breakfast.
"Were you up late again last night?" Daisy placed a plate piled with a hearty breakfast in front of Albert.
"Son, we'd better hurry. Today's schedule is rather full." Herb spread the letter Eton College had sent a few days ago across the table, his face beaming with pride.
As everyone knew, private schools were where England cultivated its elite, and Eton College was among