And nothing from that moment could spoil Irishka's mood: neither the governess's attempt to remove the casserole and buns from the table, nor the old woman's constant causticity, nor the speech of Mr. di Martin, who was also present at breakfast. To all the encroachments of the nimble kolobok to seize the money of the county of Ryu Moro, Irishka only smiled and praised the omelet, mentally showing Theo a combination of three fingers. The steward's persistent persuasion made her wince, but the sight of Madame Bianca's white-haired crown again caused a satisfied smile. The fact that the governess could not be the mistress of the prodigal hubby pleased, but her influence in the house raised legitimate questions. 'Nothing, we will explain this old woman,' the girl made a mental notch.

"Your manners are disgusting, young lady!" Get up from the table and leave the dining room immediately! You are punished! - a sharp shout distracted Irishka from her thoughts.

"What's the matter, may I ask?" Why are you screaming? - after seeing the upset baby with her eyes, the girl asked.

“I repeat, this child’s manners are simply awful!”

-- Is that how?

-- Yes exactly! - the indignation of the governess, it seemed you could touch it with your hands.

“May I ask how long have you been working in the house?”

- Two years, but why these questions?

“I just wanted to know why my husband pays you money if you don’t do your job?”

- Yes, how do you ...

- Your Grace!

-- What?

“I say that you should address me, your grace, and nothing else,” looking at the discouraged teacher, Irishka felt like a worthy student of Sister Martha.

“I will write everything to Monsieur the Marquis, Your Grace,” Madame Bianca managed to control herself with difficulty.

- Great, you can start right now. I don’t detain you, - and looking around the utterly surprised household members, she finished off. “Martha, convey my gratitude to Monsieur Antoine for the excellent breakfast and ask him to come to my place later to discuss the menu for the next few days.

Chapter nine

Having finished breakfast in silence, Irishka left the dining room, accompanied by the approving glances of the servants.

“Milady,” the steward looked serious, as usual, “do you establish your own rules in the house?”

“I won’t let you bully a girl.

“Lady Miranda is an unusual child, she needs special treatment.

- She, like all children, first of all needs love.

- Do you want to say that you immediately fell in love with the girl?

- I'm an orphan myself...

- And so we are heartless people... Well... Let's return to this conversation in the evening.

Feeling a great desire to introduce the paunch to the great and mighty Russian obscene, Irishka went in search of the baby: 'It seems to me that Custers is not the only goat here!'

Miranda found herself. Smiling conspiratorially, she peeked out from behind a tub with some kind of spreading ficus.

- Are you looking for someone?

- One red-haired beauty. Can you tell me how to find it?

- She's right here. And why do you need it?

“I wanted to ask her to give me a tour of the house.

-- Let's go.

The baby turned out to be an intelligent guide. And let Irishka not know who and when Custers Hall was built, according to whose sketches the stunning mosaic in the house chapel was made, who laid the foundation for an amazing collection of clocks, whose contribution to the library collection was truly invaluable, but she saw all these wonderful things, and many more all sorts of, as Miranda put it, interesting things. In the greenhouse she fed the fish that came to the sound of the bell, in the kennel she admired the little puppies that had recently opened their eyes. So what, that the famous Ridaan wolfhounds will soon grow out of them, but now they look like lumps of black fluff with tails.

The explorers dined in the park, grabbing a picnic basket from the kitchen, into which the pleased Antoine loaded a whole mountain of food, saying that in the fresh air even the most tender ladies awakened a brutal appetite.

Then, tired and contented, they settled under another spreading ficus on a huge leather sofa in the library and read fairy tales aloud, completely unaware of the astonished di Marten. Gingerbread Man stood silently for a long time leaning against the door frame. Emotions on his face quickly replaced one another: anger, distrust, confusion, and finally hope.

- Theo, - Miranda was delighted to see the paunch, - I showed everything to Aola: the greenhouse, and the ballroom, and my uncle's laboratory, and the pond, and the classroom, and ... in general, - the little coquette did something like intricate movement of the pen, obviously showing all the diversity shown.

“Good girl, I didn’t doubt you,” the manager smiled warmly at the girl. "Well, how did you like Custer's Hall, my lady?"

“I liked it very much,” the Marquise did not quarrel.

-- How do you feel? Is there anything bothering you?

“Only Honduras…” Irishka remembered the bearded anecdote, but she hastened to correct herself. - Thank you, it's all right.

-- No headache? Doesn't spin? Is there a loss of strength?

-- Everything is good. Why these questions?

"Are you sure, Lady Aola?"

Explain, I'm waiting.

“But the fact is that Lady Miranda woke up very early on a magical gift inherited from her mother. She is a natural necromancer, uninitiated yet. And a very limited number of people can be near her for a long time without any unpleasant consequences. And during the natural emissions ... - he meaningfully kept silent, obviously letting you feel the full scale of the problem that had fallen on the Cavigny family.

- You mean that Mrs. Bianca... - Irishka was not impressed.

“Yes, Lady Aola, exactly, and you seem to be the third such person, except for Monsieur the Marquis and me.

Chapter ten,

I was always upset because of my complete magical inertia, - Irishka looked thoughtfully at the manager, not forgetting to hug Miranda trustingly clinging to her, - I so wanted to be a real sorceress, and the Most Serene said that the day would come when I would appreciate this the gift of the Great She was right, as always.

"And you're not afraid of me at all, are you?"

“I’m very afraid, O great mistress of the dead!” Aola began to tickle the baby. "Do you feel the depth of my horror?"

- Yes, - laughing at the top of her lungs, Miranda wriggled like a nimble snake. “Let me go, I can’t take it anymore!”

“Do you give up, O incomparable daughter of the night?”

-- Yes Yes!

- Then it's your turn to read aloud, - Irishka nodded affirmatively at di Martin's silent request to leave and prepared to listen to the girl. I had to admit that Madame Bianca had not eaten her bread in vain, her pupil was now briskly reading the tale of the three brothers.

'Natural necromancer must be the same, I never would have thought' - looking at the curly red crown, Irishka recalled how Serenity complained that girls were not accepted into magical schools. They studied only individually, a mentor was selected for each, an apprenticeship ritual was carried out, and for several years the girl left her father's house, devoting all her time to studying.

- Of course, magical abilities in girls are extremely rare, but they are more valuable. The Great Mother in her wisdom grants magic only to her chosen daughters, but their gift is always great and bright. And it is our duty to develop it,” Aola remembered very well this conversation with the Most Serene.

'I wonder how she is there? What about Sister Martha? The girls are probably jealous, they think that I have a honeymoon ... '- the mood quickly deteriorated. 'Is there something wrong with me? In that world, family life did not work out, and in this one the same eggs are only in profile ... Even worse ... My husband didn’t show up for the wedding ... He has business and cases ... I’ll stay in the capital until the divorce forty-seven days and go to the family estate. Then, of course, if you're lucky, you can skip this social season, spending a calm winter in the Dark Oak, and then we'll see...

"Looks like you're not listening to me!"

“Well, of course I do.” She brushed aside her sad thoughts and smiled warmly at Miranda.

***

Sitting at the exquisitely set table, Irishka considered all the pluses and minuses of her position. She attributed youth, beauty and, most importantly, financial independence from her husband to the pluses. It turned out that the faithful, as befits a worthy representative of bovids, did not give any orders regarding the newlywed's wardrobe. Simply put, this bastard squeezed money for new clothes. Well, that is, he didn’t leave any instructions to the kolobok on this matter, and you have to write, and ask, and wait until Naf Naf Lordship answers him, but for now, it’s only like a couple of weeks in state uniform.

The disadvantages included marriage, but on the other hand, the upcoming divorce was definitely a plus, so bold. So, having thought it over properly, Irishka realized that there were much more advantages in her situation, cheered up, ordered to invite a dressmaker for tomorrow and started dinner with appetite.

***

A week later, Irishka completely settled into Custer's Hall, got up early, awakened by Miranda, had breakfast and went to lessons with the baby. Sitting quietly in a corner of the classroom, she did not interfere in the course of classes, but the silent presence of the Marquise was enough for the governess to behave politely, and the pupil to study diligently. After the lessons it was time for lunch, and then Irishka, having put Miranda to bed ('Daytime sleep with your workload and at your age is simply necessary, my beauty!') went to the library, and there, climbing up on the sofa with her feet, she read until the butler or the manager ('Theo, milady, just Theo to you') didn't keep her occupied with very important but terribly boring chores like putting together menus, checking bills, or some other useful nonsense.

Snack, games with Miranda, dinner, sleep - time dragged on like molasses, lazily and slowly. Madame Bianca was quiet, calm and laconic. She hid, quieted down, as if waiting for something. Irishka even knew what, the old purse was waiting for a letter from Custers, pinning great hopes on him. ('Everyone will understand how much his lordship, the marquis of Cavigny, appreciates me!') However, there were no letters, which Martha reported daily ('Not a line, not a note, not an invitation to visit or, forgive the Great, to what kind of reception Have they all died out?')

Another week passed, and right at breakfast time, Alan, wearing white gloves on this occasion and armed with a silver tray, solemnly handed Irishka two letters from his precious husband at once. In the first, apparently written in the morning, Aola was ordered not to interfere in the upbringing of the child, leaving this serious matter to the esteemed Mrs. Bianca. ('Better take care of a new wardrobe, dear!') In the second, after a ceremonial apology for excessive harshness, it was proposed to refuse the services of a governess and the whole family, including the shad, go to a country estate. ('So that the child spends more time in the fresh air, and does not sit at home, inhaling the dust of the capital.')

- All is well! We are going to the cottage! - Putting aside the letters, Irishka reassured the alarmed household members.

chapter eleven

“I don’t know exactly what place you call with a strange word dacha, your grace, but I can’t go there. My health ...

- And you won’t go, madam, - a couple of letters also came to the kolobok. “You get a paycheck, excellent recommendations, and a salary six months in advance.

“But wait, how can that be?”

“I have very clear instructions for you, Mistress Bianca.

-- It's outrageous! I... I didn't expect...

"I'm sorry, but my lord has made his wish clear."