Dear Mary | 9 February 2008

Q. We are lucky enough to be lent a chalet in Verbier. My wife invited her niece and boyfriend who is showing signs of becoming a fixture. He is not blessed with a great intellect and has been brought up in a household where shared meals are a rarity. He has little in the way of table manners. Chalet breakfasts often consist of croissants and honey. He used his knife to help himself to honey so, ensuring I was observed, I placed some on my own plate using a teaspoon. He then emulated this by using the spoon to spread the honey on his second croissant, thereby transferring crumbs, butter and possibly bodily fluids to the honey pot. This was but one example of a number of calumnies. They are likely to wish for further invitations when others may be present. I am concerned that this young man may become embarrassed by his lack of simple table manners.