After a couple of weeks, there were no traces of bruises on the chest, thighs and buttocks, and no abrasions on the hands and face, which cannot be said about memories.

Since that time, Aglaia had fallen out of love with the forest, although he was beautiful in the accessible proximity of multi-colored early-autumn foliage, through which still warm sunshine penetrated through transparent strips, lured the trails, rang with distant voices of lucky mushroom pickers - bundles of strong white, thick wools stitched on threads. , red-headed aspen mushrooms have taken their place in the kitchen. Aglaya imagined how the strong mushroom smell of freshly brewed soup would float in the chilly winter through the rooms ...

Aglaia was silent about the incident, and she hoped that her mustache would be silent. She did not want to doubt the glory of the lady drunk raped by the first counter-dude. Raped? Of course! She was against it! No self-respecting girl of noble birth and blue blood will not allow the presence of such a shameful fact in her biography! So Aglaya thought a month ago ...

And now ... At night, she tossed and turned on a dimensionless bed under a blanket in a hotly heated bedroom. She jumped up, opened the window, letting fresh air into the room and the unstable silence of the sleeping manor. Wrapping her arms around her shoulders, she crouched beneath the transparent fabric of the long, to-toe, nightgown, stepping barefoot on the carpeted floor. That boiled in my heart a hatred for a mustache, snatching, taking advantage of the moment, a sweet piece. “Scoundrel, scoundrel,” whispered lips, and from impotent anger, fingers squeezed to a sobering pain, glaring with nails into the skin of the palms. Something inappropriate was remembered by strong hands, affectionate, like the whispering of the July wind and at the same time tough, like the February frost, forcing to moan and ... No, no, she did not want to, she tried to push away, resisted with all her strength - she deceived herself, listening to languid warm, wet blot spreading in the very lower abdomen. Contradictions just tore apart.

So evenly and measuredly flowed the days of her rural life. Willy-nilly had to get used to, look around. Everything, everything needed repair, renovation, restructuring - a stable, a coach house, gazebos and outbuildings hidden in secluded corners of a quiet overgrown park, a bath that seemed damp and uncomfortable. Not to mention the outbuildings, and Aglaya conceived the greenhouse, and decorate the park paths with sculptures. The days were busy with fussy troubles, and the nights remained restless and uncomfortable.

The morning of a windy, albeit sunny new day found her sitting in a luxurious silk dress in front of a mirror. Irritably glancing, continually shouting at Dashka, trying ineptly to build from the mane of blond hair something that could be called a hairstyle at least with a stretch. Today was the first acquaintance of Aglaia with her neighbors - three days ago, very simply and pleasantly written with a note, she was invited to celebrate the name of the hostess at the Dubrava estate, and there was no way to refuse, although Aglaya had already represented the sour society of bellied landowners and their wives who had spread from the full life of wives . Dasha sniffled and was about to admit defeat when yesterday's guest appeared on the threshold of the room, arising late in the evening from rainy out of nowhere in front of the gates of the manor and only allowed to spend the night.

She turned out to be a miniature girl, with a shock of red curls, a scattering of freckles on a pretty face with a pointed chin and bright green eyes. Portila, if not to say that she disfigured her appearance of a baggy gray dress, and a well-worn raincoat, which had not yet dried on the hem after yesterday's rain.

“I would like to express my gratitude to you ...” The girl said, slightly stammering, examining the disgruntled, frowning Aglaia with an emerald look.- The rain turned out to be so inappropriate, otherwise I would never dare to disturb your peace and your home ... - I bowed respectfully, sneaking at Dashka, and Aglaya understood - the city one. Not local. Dasha, while she began to build something indecent on Aglai's head, pulled a strand of hair painfully. And Aglaya could not stand it ...

- Go away! - it is not clear to whom this appeal was addressed, but in the hearts of a hair brush torn away from the clumsy servants of today, thrown on the floor, meant, most likely, dissatisfaction with the awkward barber, but both girls stared in dismay.

The first came to know the redhead ...

“Allow me, madam ...” in two smooth steps, she was already behind Aglaya, she chose a frequent juniper comb from a pile of combs and gently touched light gold hair. - Let me help you, I have some experience ... - Aglaya was silent, Dasha retreated a step to the side, with her mouth parted watching, as if with a wonderful focus. The redhead confidently combed her hair high up, divided it into strands, showed Dasha what kind of hairpin to give - with one word, worked ... Aglai’s face smoothed out, it seems the storm has passed ... After some half an hour of silent works of redhead and Dashi she’s with satisfaction in her gaze, turned the head, elegantly combed, with playful carelessness of a pair of curls. And, of course, the angelicly loving Aglaia did not resist the request of the redhead who called herself Marta (she lied, of course, most likely was called Masha) to remain on the estate. Who else would bring her here like that?

Ready to leave, Aglaia naggingly examined herself in the mirror. Flowing dress of rich indigo color, with a lush hem and low-cut bodice, decorated with elegant silver embroidery, opened the eyes to the white of bare shoulders, as if carved by a skilled master of shoulders, a deep hollow between the corset-squeezed luxe breasts, accentuated the slim waist and length of the legs and transformed Aglau into a sweater. goddess But the porch was not waiting for a bead carriage, but a prosaic modest crew.

The road flew by quickly - Aglaia was focused on not mashing the dress, covered with a heavy velvet of a snow-white raincoat ... She glanced out of the window, at the work that was boiling in the fields. I thought about urgent matters - where to order flowers for a greenhouse, if the land is suitable, what kind of red one, left in the estate, and if she does not teach simple Dasha something bad ...

And an hour later, stunned, puzzled, and confused, Aglaya was already trying to avoid the company of the hero of the occasion, a very sweet and smiling lady of thirty, and especially the company of her husband, charming and courteous Vyacheslav, mustache handsome and handsome, whom she remembered well after that night in the forest izba He coped with his amazement much faster and did not look for her company either. After the champagne, they waited for a new fashionable fun - fiery fun and fireworks, in the darkness of Aglaya and was about to sneak away ...

“Let's go, it will be much better to be seen from here ...” Aglaia almost gave way to his legs from the familiar whisper that had stunned no worse than the May thunder thundering right above her ear. No, I do not want, I will not go anywhere, leave me alone forever - while she chose a worthy refusal, Vyacheslav, it was he who already grabbed his warm fingers under his elbow and persistently drew him into the thick shadow of lilac.

- How do you even dare to approach me! - Aglaya's angry whisper seemed to her the hiss of an angry hyena. - You are a scoundrel and a villain, you are the very last bastard, scoundrel and rogue ...

“Dears,” Aglaya almost screamed with indignation, “stop the flow of your eloquence, as I recall, you didn’t give me a reason to doubt your desire ...” his palm gently covered her lips and Aglaya could not resist temptation to bite a finger, or rather two, with a second hand resting on his chest, which was prohibitively close, anxiously close, which made Aglaya confused thoughts, although she wrote off this strange effect on the effect of champagne.With a short laugh (after all, he was probably hurt, Aglaya was ready to swear) ...