The first ones I saw were Megan and a teenage girl, about fourteen or fifteen years old, followed by several men who were hiding the blonde. Maggie was obviously looking for signs in the crowd, but she couldn't find any. The girl was just passing our group when I stepped out from behind one of the guys, a six-footer named John, right in her blind spot, caught her in two steps, and grabbed her under my elbow.
— Hey, Maggie, who's that with you? — The girl jerked, turned her head sharply to meet my smiling face, and frowned, looking away.
— Dumb jokes, mister. — The girl pursed her lips unhappily. — I just told my niece that Sora Hoshino is a serious person to work with, and you made me look like a liar. — The girl looked away, but I noticed that her cheek twitched.
— Don't worry, miss, — I met the eyes of Maggie's niece, an equally pretty mulatto, only with a simple shoulder-length ponytail, and winked at her smile. — I can be dull and boring too. Right now I just met you and I'm happy. But then I turn into an annoying, clingy pedant and tyrant. I will keep you busy to the point of impossibility! Muah-ha-ha. — I always get something in my throat when I'm laughing badly and I cough. I even tried practicing in front of the mirror, but it still sucks. The girl was already grinning contemptuously, looking at her aunt, who was the same height as she was.
— Listen, Maggie, can I seduce him? — the girl said to her aunt as if I wasn't there. Maggie turned to me, gave me a skeptical look, but didn't pull her hand out of my grip like she should have.
— No, Rachel, he's too old and frail for you. And poor, too: can a normal, wealthy man afford only three bodyguards? — The girl looked at the "bodyguards" and turned to her niece. — No, definitely not your option. We'll find you a real lord. — Maggie nodded seriously at her words. — I've heard there are a lot of them around here and you're a prime piece of candy that no one can resist.
— All right, — Rachel agreed regally. — But don't take too long, I don't want to be an old maid.
— Hey, man! — The blonde came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck. — Good to see you! — Lizzie was glowing with energy as always, a white-toothed smile on her face and the fire of life burning in her blue eyes.
— And you. — I put my free arm around her waist.
That's how we, the whole crowd, with jokes and teasing, took the luggage and took the transportation. More than 40 people came, so we had to rent extra cars. As it turned out later, things were not going well in the U.S., the company began to be squeezed, the income was significantly reduced. Some of them were already thinking of going on a free trip, and here I was with my proposal.
None of their companies had any special prospects, so the wizards decided to take a risk: they got together, took their wives and children, and flew to Britain. If we speak in English terms, there are no Mudbloods in this group, there are half-bloods, there are purebloods. There are no Muggleborns, because there are a lot of talented people in the USA, and it is much easier to choose a husband and wife according to one's taste, so purebloods are much more numerous than half-bloods.
The wizards were accommodated in a small but clean hotel — they simply occupied all available rooms. Lizzie, quite calmly and directly, stated that she didn't have anyone and then wanted to go to my place for the night, but I stopped her. No, she's a great girl, but I have a maid and Kiriko living in my house, both gifted, and the girl is also hypersensitive to magic.
I don't want to shock her like that. She's too young. Well, I think so, but just in case, I asked Gwyneth to pay close attention to the issue of sex education and to buy some teaching aids for Kiriko. To be honest, I am very embarrassed and even scared at the thought of having to explain such questions to the girl.
Here, like an adult again, I've been through a lot, seen a lot, there were women. But to sit down and explain to a teenage girl the changes that are happening to her body, it's banal and frightening to me, and I'm ashamed of what's going on. It is one thing when you are alone with your partner and start "sweet", and quite another to explain it in words.
And in general, if you think about it, in this life I have only had adult, experienced partners who clearly understand and know what they like and what they want. How much more difficult it was in that life, when my first love and I understood everything by experience. Here, for example, with Olivia, we quickly came to an understanding just by talking.
I had never thought before that in the most "hot" moments it is very important not to be silent and to listen to your partner, because just one answer to a question and you both feel better. Or Lizzie and I once laughed out loud and instead of sex we had a childish wrestling match with pillows, pinching, biting and scratching.
Laughing like horses, we even banged on the wall and threatened to call the police, which made us laugh even harder because they forgot to put up the silent curtain.
Honestly, I was taught a lot of things here, including not to get stuck in bed, or to talk about what to like and what not to like, but to teach a girl to be a girl and not an obedient clan doll, as I was taught, I cannot. I just don't know what it takes. I've seen how to raise a leader puppet, yes.
It was nice and quiet and warm at home. It turned out that Kiriko had decided to learn to cook by following the example of a maid, and she helped prepare this dinner. I was also told a few other things. The first is about the girl. Malcolm, my steward, in case anyone forgot, came here personally and asked Gwyneth to bring Kiriko to the greenhouse at least twice a week, better yet, three times a week.
Thanks to the accelerated growth of the herbs, the potion room was able to expand its offerings a bit, bringing in more profit, which was invested in buying some rare seeds from France. Needless to say, I was very upset about this. It's a double situation: I have these seeds, and they're really expensive, and it's not easy to grow a plant, you need a high magical background.