I may be straying into Unmitigated territory here, but I can't resist this story. It concerns Lord Curzon's comedown, when his lordship's steward finally felt obliged to try and moderate the household expenses. He drew up a list of the staff at Kedleston Hall. It was the third assistant to the pastry chef that caught his eye. With elaborate discretion and much throat clearing he hinted to his lordship that such a member of staff might be a little, um, superfluous. "So it's come to this" spluttered the Viceroy to India, "a fellow can't have a biscuit with his tea!"
