- Fathers are holy! - Nastya screamed in fright. “The Lord is with you, young lady, who is so scary?” Why are you sitting on the window? Yes, even in negligee? Well, how will anyone see?
“Yes, there is such a fog in the morning that I didn’t even make out the street,” Adele waved off. - Let's wash and get dressed soon, I was frozen. I’m not used to being so damp in London.
Nastya, without wasting time in conversations, quickly closed the window, carefully returned the curtain and replaced Adele with a basin in which she was preparing to pour water. While the princess was washing, the maid was constantly chattering about how she did not like England, that it was damp and cold (as if it was warmer in St. Petersburg in May), that the British looked like they had drunk vinegar and, finally, that here her young lady will certainly be constantly sick, because in London all the time it rains.
“Nastya, I beg you, shut up for at least a second,” Adele prayed, taking a large towel from the maid’s hands. - From your chatter, I already have a migraine, and today I still listen to a lot of news from the lips of aunts and cousins! Wear a corset and a dress, otherwise I’ll really get sick, standing here almost naked.
Without Nastya's chatter, things went faster, and within fifteen minutes Adele, dressed in a morning white dress with a small flower and neatly combed her hair, went down to the living room. There was still a little time before breakfast, and the princess decided to use it to take a look at the garden.
Throwing a light openwork shawl over her shoulders, Adele slipped through the back door and got straight into the large and well-groomed garden. The lawn and flowerbeds were trimmed and groomed with a purely English neatness, and the sight of blooming peonies and tulips was pleasing to the eye, especially after such a long and cold Russian winter.
Adele walked along a wide central path, not forgetting to stop at the largest flowerbed and pick a few peonies. She delightedly lowered her face directly into the fragrant bouquet, inhaling her favorite smell, and slowly walked further along the path until she reached a high brick fence. In the very corner of the courtyard, right in the fence, there was a small gate, apparently used by servants ... or secret admirers of maids serving at the mansion.
Strange, but the gate was ajar. The girl frowned in bewilderment.
After all, anyone can get into this courtyard, but this is still private property, besides that belonging to a Russian diplomat.
It will be necessary not to forget to inform papa about this at breakfast, let him arrange a thrashing with the officers in charge of house security. The prince was always distinguished by special requirements for the safety of his children and property, and therefore Adele had no doubt that the protection would get from him on the first day. Of course, it was ugly to sneak, but sometimes it is better to play it safe.
About to leave, the princess turned toward the house, but suddenly an extraneous noise drew her attention in the dense shrubbery growing near the fence. It seemed to her that someone was hiding there.
Has a stranger climbed into the garden? What to do? Scream? She is unlikely to be heard from home - too far.
Who could it be? What if it’s some runaway criminal or a thief?
Adele's heart suddenly contracted with fear, and the girl rushed to run, in a panic, dropping flowers on the path. She ran fast enough, but nevertheless heard someone's hasty footsteps and a short creak of a closing gate. So, she frightened off the intruder, and he hastened to get out.
Having reached the front door, the girl finally stopped and tried to catch her breath, which was not so easy to do, because Nastya too tightly pulled on her corset. Suddenly, the door swung open and the princess, panting and excited, was discovered on the threshold by her brother, Michelle.