Nanny Oswald ushered all three children into the grand library, neatly dressed and ready for their visit to Grandmama's. Marguerite, already prepared, wore a chic and modern coat, exuding elegance as always. She glanced over at John, who was seated at his writing desk, deep in paperwork.

"You're not joining us?" she asked.

John looked up, offering her an apologetic smile. "I wish I could, but I have to meet with the tenants this afternoon. There's also that matter of the fencing near the east pasture that needs immediate attention. Say hello to Mama from me."

Grandma Elizabeth lived in the dowager house, just a ten-minute walk from the main estate. Since it was a beautiful spring day, Marguerite decided they would walk there. The air was crisp, and the sun was warm and the stroll was inviting. The twins, dressed in their little frocks, ran ahead, giggling and chasing each other down the path, while William stayed close by Marguerite.

The maid opened the door with a polite smile and led them inside. Grandma Elizabeth sat in her favorite armchair. A delicate tea set was arranged on the table in front of her, along with an assortment of cookies. The moment they spotted her, all three children ran forward, eager to embrace their beloved grandmother. Elizabeth welcomed them with open arms. Marguerite smiled, standing back for a moment, before stepping forward to join them. She leaned in and gave Elizabeth a gentle peck on the cheek before settling onto the sofa nearby. She watched fondly as the children chatted excitedly with their grandmother.

"It's really nice of you to take part in Mother's puzzles, Granny." William commented.

"I may be old, but if it means I get to spend time with my brilliant grandchildren, I'll happily join in the fun. Besides, it's quite hard to convince all of you to visit these days."

"We're very busy, as you know." Marguerite replied. "These quiet moments are a rare luxury."

Elizabeth responded coolly, "Yes, I'm all too familiar with that."

"Granny, may I go to your card table and find the next puzzle?"

"Of course. Go ahead."

Isabelle and Juliette sat on the sofa beside their mother, their little legs dangling over the edge. Grandma Elizabeth looked at the two girls with a soft gaze, her hands folded in her lap.

"Now, my little darlings," she said in her poised, aristocratic manner, "Have you been good girls? Are you behaving and listening to your Mother and Nanny?"

Juliette nodded eagerly. "Yes, Granny! We listen very well."

Isabelle, however, looked thoughtful for a moment before blurting out, "I'm usually well behaved, but sometimes I don't wear my knickers under my dress."

Marguerite's eyes widened in shock. "Isabelle!" she exclaimed, mortified.

"They're itchy, so I take them off and hide them in the garden."

Marguerite sighed deeply. "We'll be having a long talk about this later."

"My dear, some things are meant to be kept to yourself." Elizabeth said. "A true lady knows when not to share everything."

"That thing about the knickers is not true, of course." Marguerite said. "The children are always dressed properly. Nanny is extremely responsible. Shocking people is simply Isabelle's idea of a little fun."

"I see. Quite the entertainer, isn't she? Though I must say, such expressive language seems to have flourished under your supervision, Marguerite."

William returned with the puzzle in hand. There was the familiar illustration of The Walrus and the Carpenter on the left side, and a series of numbers arranged in vertical lines on the right side. The numbers were:

1 5 12

2 4 1

3 2 11

4 4 1

6 1 6

9 1 10

10 6 11

10 5 9

William placed it on the table in front of Marguerite and Elizabeth.

"It's a positional cipher," William explained. "The first column represents the row, the second column is the word in that row, and the third column tells us which letter of that word to use. The only problem is, we need The Walrus and the Carpenter poem. It's part of the Through the Looking-Glass book, which is unfortunately back home."

"But, of course, I have my own copies of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass." Elizabeth said. "It's essential to have a few good children's books on hand for when my grandchildren visit. After all, a house should always be prepared to entertain curious young minds."

Elizabeth instructed the maid to go and fetch the book. When William noticed that the fifth word in the first row didn't have 12 letters, he immediately realized his logic was wrong. But soon, he had a revelation. The first number actually referenced the stanza, the second the line, and the third the letter within that line. The twins were handed a piece of paper and a pencil. Their task, with William's guidance, was to carefully write down the letters they uncovered one by one, as he called them out.

When they collected all the letters, William asked, "I'm guessing it's another anagram?"

"You're guessing right," Marguerite replied.

"Alright, the solution is REASONED."

Marguerite blinked in surprise. "Wait, what?"

William stepped closer and pointed at the letters on the paper with his fingers. It really did spell REASONED.

Marguerite laughed, shaking her head. "That was a lucky coincidence. My mistake. I had something else in mind."

William looked at the letters again. "Okay, I see it now. It's ROSA EDEN. That's the rose from our garden. Your favorite rose."

Marguerite smiled warmly and kissed William on the forehead. "My clever boy."

"Marguerite, don't you think you're being a bit too affectionate?" Elizabeth asked. "A boy of his age should be learning independence, not coddling."

"I believe cleverness deserves reward." Marguerite replied unapologetically.

"I am only six, Granny." William said.

"Yes, well, six is old enough to start learning to be a proper young gentleman, William."

"Granny, I understand emotions very well. They don't interfere with how I think. In fact, they only make me sharper."

"Well, I suppose you've thought this through." Elizabeth muttered, somewhat impressed despite herself. She turned her gaze to Marguerite. "Your children are very protective of you."

"They understand loyalty. That's something I'm proud of." Marguerite replied.

"Mummy, are we heading back now?" William asked.

"No. We came here to visit your grandmother and enjoy some quality time with her, not to rush off the moment we're done."

William's brow furrowed. "But what if it rains and the wind blows the riddle away?"

"It won't. The sky is perfectly clear—there's not a cloud in sight."

An hour later, when they left grandmother's house, Marguerite didn't forget to lecture her daughter. "Isabelle, your behavior today was very improper. If this continues, I'll have no choice but to give Nanny permission to spank you."

"I'll never say anything improper again, I promise!"

When they arrived home, Marguerite first handed the girls over to the nanny, then made her way to the garden with William. Hidden among the thorny rose bushes was the next riddle.

On the left side of the book, Alice stood in a colorful, whimsical garden filled with oversized flowers. The caption below read "Amazing Garden." On the right of the paper was the maze, filled with twists and turns, and at various points along the path, letters were scattered, creating a hidden message to be deciphered. Finding the right path through the maze meant finding the correct letters along the way.

William stared at the maze in awe. "Did you design this?"

Marguerite smiled warmly. "I did."

"It's incredibly detailed. I'm so proud of you."

Marguerite smiled and patted William's head. "I'm proud of you. Why don't you finish the rest in the nursery? I could use a short break, too."

William listened to his mother and headed upstairs to the nursery. He sat down at the desk and began working on the maze. It wasn't easy, but his tried-and-true strategy always worked—start at the exit and trace your way back. After carefully following the path in the maze, William collected the letters: C-D-R-P-N-U-O-A-W-B-S-I-G-O-O. He stared at them for a while, expecting it to form one long, complicated word. But after some thought, he realized it was actually two words. He got: Goodwin's Cupboard. But of course, Nanny didn't allow him to go downstairs just yet. Instead she made him take his afternoon nap first.