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"No," she shouted.
"That's good. Ours are very well behaved. They do not bother people at all. Just take no notice of them."
"How many are there?" Maria
"Let me see." Mrs. Ke
"Never mind," Maria
"None of them come here." Mrs. Ke
"Oh." Maria
"Aye, and died in it, God rest his soul," said the housekeeper, confirming Maria
If such a combination is possible, Maria
The warm water was soothing. She had begun to relax, even to contemplate the dreadful bed with wry amusement, when something like a small explosion made her gasp and shrink back, the dripping washcloth pressed to her breast. Her door had opened with a resounding crash. Standing in the opening was a child.
Maria
The washcloth was dripping down Maria
"How dare you enter without knocking!" she demanded.
"How dare you speak to me that way!" The boy marred the arrogance of his speech by stamping his foot like an angry child. "Don't you know who I am?"
"I assume you are the Duke of Devenbrook," Maria
"I wanted to see you. They say you are a witch. I have never seen a witch before."
"How absurd." Maria
"No." The boy shook his head solemnly. "Witches are old and ugly. You are very pretty."
No female could fail to be disarmed by this speech. Maria
"Really, Your Grace," she said. "You are too old to behave like this. I look forward to meeting you formally, but now -"
A voice was heard from the hall outside.
"Henri! Henri! to where have you gotten yourself? Come to me at once, Henry – tout de suiter
Henry, Duke of Devenbrook did not move or even turn his head; he simply took a deep breath and bellowed, "Here I am!"
Rapid footsteps thudded down the hall, and in the open doorway appeared, momentarily, the form of a thin young man with red hair and extremely large mustaches of the same color – obviously the French tutor in pursuit of his errant charge. Maria
"Ah, begorra… Er – I should say, mon Dieu, quel contretemps! Mademoiselle, pardon-nez-moi. … This enfant terrible, he has led me into a situation tres maladroit. Henri, remove yourself, immediatement!"
Henry, knowing full well that his tutor would not dare to enter, gri
"Monsieur," she called, "you may enter now. I am… er… I have… That is to say, you have my permission to enter."
The tutor's head appeared around the doorframe. One eye was wide open, the other tightly closed – this, apparently, the best concession to the proprieties he could make. When he saw that Maria
"Mademoiselle, you forgive -?"
"Certainly, monsieur," Maria
"I will hope for the honor of presenting myself in due course," said the tutor confusedly. "At the present -"
Maria
"Mais certainement, mademoiselle."
Henry's triumphant smile had faded when he saw himself outmaneuvered. Now his lower lip protruded and his dark brows drew together.
"No! I am not finished talking. Leave me alone, Victor."
The tutor backed off a few steps. Maria
"This is quite enough, Your Grace," she said firmly. "If you wish me to treat you like a gentleman, then behave like one. If you wish to behave like a child, I will take you by the ear and put you out."
Henry and his tutor gasped, in chorus. M. Victor's face took on a look of such horror that Maria
Then the boy's angry flush faded. He made Maria
"You are right, miss," he said gravely. "My apologies. Well, come, Victor, why are you standing there gaping?"
He stalked out, his head held high in a comical assumption of manly dignity. With a shrug and an apologetic gesture the tutor followed his charge. Neither of them bothered to close the door. Maria
She finished her ablutions in peace and put on a clean frock. She was then able to unbolt the door before ringing for assistance in finishing her toilette.
Celeste had been left in London on board wages, like most of the servants. Only the Duchess's personal maid and a few others who were needed to attend them on the journey had been brought along. The Duchess had been apologetic – "We quite rusticate in the country, my dear, I assure you; you will have no need of elaborate toilettes." But Maria
When Maria