It took quite a long time for everyone to get one spoonful of the glob because of their protests, but eventually we all forced it down, leaving us gagging and coughing in disgust after Nanny McPhee left.

"That was....horrible" Lily says, trying to get the taste out by spitting everywhere.

"Worse." I muttered grumpily, crossing my arms like a little child. "I wanna go to sleep."

"Go to sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better when you wake up" Simon said, trying to be encouraging but spitting out each word.

"When I wake up I'll need to take that goop again." I laid down on my back, closing my eyes slowly.

I was itchy and all my bones ached with every move. After a while of laying there, listening to the kids talking as they got told off by Simon to be quiet I finally fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes again Mrs Blatherwick was in the room with a giant bowl full of a grayish broth with chunks of god knows what in it.

"Get that down ya," The cook said, ladling the broth in a bowl for me, "There's a lot of goodness in a turkey neck."

I sat up as she placed the bowl in my lap, the awful looking food smelling terrible, not trying to be rude.

"That'll put the hairs back on ya chest." She continued, serving Lily the 'soup'. Mrs Blatherwick inhaled loudly, breathing in the fumes before sighing deeply.

"Smell that? That is the smell that forged this empire." Mrs Blatherwick waddled towards the door.

"That pong, is the pong of conquerors. All right men," she raised a hand above to her forehead and saluted, "As you were," She finished before disappearing through the door.

"They actually are starving us," Lily mumbled, looking down into her bowl disgusted.

"I wonder how long it will take for all of us to die."

"Well we don't have a choice, do we?" I muttered under my breath, staring down at the goop curiously.

Tora filled her spoon with some of the broth, bringing it up and tipping it back into the bowl, it landing with a slurpy splash.

I filled my own spoon before dumping it into my mouth.

"See, it isn't that..." I gulped down the broth, the horrible taste on my tastebuds, "...bad" I finished off, frowning slightly.

Everyone shrugged and began shoveling the food down their throats, plugging their nose. All except for Simon who stared down in disgust, I finished my bowl before looking at him.

"Simon?" His eyes met mine, emotionless.

"I'm not eating this slop," he motioned to his food with his thumb, gagging slightly. He could be so stubborn sometimes.

"It'll be over before you know it. Trust me." I reassured, leaning over and poking his side with my index finger.

He looked over at me and sighed before picking up his spoon, filling it with broth and dumping it into his mouth, squeezing his eyes together firmly. It wasn't very long before his bowl was empty, along with the rest of ours.

I laid back down in bed, putting my bowl on my bedside.

"Have you lazy lot been in bed all day?" I looked up to see Evangeline standing in the door way. She hung around the room and collected our bowls, walking over to me.

"You've been doing the measles, haven't you?" She smiled at us, brushing a strand of hair out of my face.

"The situations simple, Evangeline. The nanny, who is in my opinion a witch, made us ill and fed us boiled-down toads." Eric explained, sitting up slightly.

"Nanny McPhee is not a witch Eric, you are very naughty to say so." Evangeline said, examining all of our empty bowls.

"I'm sure she knew what she was doing, she must be fully trained."

"Yes." Eric agreed, raising one finger. "But as what?"

"I'm unbelievably hungry Evangeline, could you please get us something to eat?" Sebastian begged, his eyes twinkling. Evangeline looked over at him abruptly.

"did you just say please?" Evangeline asked in complete shock.

"Please! Please Evangeline!" We all begged as Evangeline left with our dirty dishes.

Mr Brown soon came through the door with Nanny McPhee

"Well children, I hear you've been in bed all day, but that you're better" Simon propped himself up on his elbows as a huge guiltiness came over me. Guilt because I was acting all grumpy towards Simon like it was his fault, it wasn't.

"It wasn't our fault." He growled whilst glaring at Nanny McPhee.

"I'm sure it wasn't anyone's fault Simon. Good heavens, you can't help it if you're ill" Mr Brown said as Nanny McPhee raised an eyebrow at Simon who seemed to be fuming.

I held out my hand for him to take, he quickly grasped it as I squeezed tightly once before dropping it. These were the type of moments when I lightly hinted at my crush for him, or maybe wanted to feel the satisfaction of knowing something.

"But, you're better now." Mr Brown finished hesitantly. I blushed a bright pink, hiding my face in the quilts of my bed. I heard a loud thud, the same thud that I heard before chaos happened in the kitchen and we all got ill this morning, it was Nanny McPhee's stick.

I felt a huge weight lift off my entire body as I slowly adjusted myself to the bed. I was able to move again. I smiled shyly to myself.

"Papa?"

"Yes, Chrissie?" Mr Brown looked at Chrissie.

"Now that we're better, can we get up?" Mr Brown looked unsure, not knowing what to say.

"Erm...."

"Can we get up please?" We all chorused in unison. Evangeline and Mr Brown looked shocked, especially Evangeline. The color drained from their face as they stood, speechless.

"Of course you can" Mr Brown finally answered after a long pause.

"Read to us?" Chrissie then begged again, pulling her favorite book out from its secret stash underneath her pillow.

"I, um...I have my letter-writing to do. I..." Everyone's faces dropped as they hung their heads low in disappointment.

"I'll read to you tomorrow. Goodnight my dears." He concluded before walking out of the room. I turned to my bedside, picking up my book and holding it, not opening it though.

I looked over to Simon, sliding a finger in the page I left off. His eyes showed he was hurt, upset but he kept a rock-hard face on. It hurt my heart to see these children drift away slightly from their father but what could I do? Nothing.

"Evangeline, please ask cook to make scrambled eggs on toast," Nanny McPhee asked "I'm sure they'd like there supper now that they're feeling better."

"I'll do it myself" Evangeline smiled as she left with our dirty dishes. Half the kids faces were light up at the mention of decent food.

Nanny McPhee cleared her throat before walking out of the room, leaving us to ourselves. An awkward silence had covered the room.

No one wanted to acknowledge the fact that Nanny McPhee was missing a wart. No one wanted to acknowledge anything in fact. After a few minutes of silence I did the only thing I could think of.

I shrunk into my bed and read.