Irina stood outside the Kabra estate main house, nodding at Isabel. However, all she could think was "Babysitting, I am a Lucian agent, not a nanny!"
"Now call me if anything happens," Isabel said brightly. One look in her amber eyes and Irina knew she would not call Isabel if her life depended on it.
Irina watched as Isabel and Vikram were escorted to their Aston Martin and driven away.
Irina walked cautiously through the huge house. It was elegantly decorated, all polished marble floors and expensive statues.
Eventually, she got to the sitting room where Isabel said the children would be waiting.
She turned her attention to the two young children, who sat on the creamy white loveseat and gazed at her in curiousity. She had to admit Ian and Natalie were absolutely adorable children. They had thick black hair, lovely cinnammon skin, and light amber eyes that sparkled with mischief. Both children were very smart for their ages.
It wasn't that she didn't like children, it's just that Isabel should have known not to do this to her so soon after what happened to sweet Nikolai.
Irina felt her eye twitch. 4-year old Natalie noticed.
"Does your eye do that a lot?" she asked disdainfully. Natalie was just like a tiny version of Isabel already!
"Da. Mostly when I am deep in thought."
"Da? I do not speak Spanish. Mummy taught us proper English, if you please."
7-year-old Ian snorted and looked up from the book he had been reading, Tuck Everlasting.
"She's speaking Russian, idiot." His accent contorted the word of her native language oddly. Rush-ay-en.
Irina took his book. "This is not very suitable for such young children. Don't you have any young children books?"
"I heard the word "book", so I am going to my room to watch TV. Goodnight, Senora Irina." Natalie walked up the stairs and disappeared.
She turned to Ian, who grabbed his copy of Tuck Everlasting back protectively. "It's not too old for me! Amy Cahill was reading the same one and we're the same age!"
"Da. But the little girl is a very advanced reader. Do you understand the words?" Irina asked.
"Yes, better than Amy!" He proceeded to read a few words and stumbled over "tranquil." Ian pronounced it "trank-eal."
"No Ian, it is pronounced "tranquil." Ian said it a few times and looked over at Irina.
"What does that mean?" he questioned.
"Peaceful and quiet." she replied.
"Alright." Ian read for a while more, then put down his book and looked up at her.
"Amy must be a good reader." he sighed.
"She is very clever," Irina stated. "Have you tried talking to her? You are same age."
Ian looked down sadly. "I used to, but Mummy said I couldn't anymore. Now Amy doesn't talk to me because I can't reply." He blinked up at Irina.
Irina knew what it was like to lose something that made you happy to Isabel. Nikolai would have been the same age as Ian. She tried to picture him with the roundness of Ian's cheeks, only with his white blond hair and father's eyes. She remebered his love for stuffed animals, not hulking books.
Ian interrupted her thoughts. "Do you see Amy often?"
"I saw her at Grace's a few weekends ago. She was with brother." Ian frowned at this.
"I don't like Daniel." Ian declared.
Irina chuckled. "There are very few that do."
"Like Hope and Arthur?" Irina froze.
"I'm sure they did."
"Did?" he asked. "They don't like him anymore? What did Daniel do?"
"Amy's parents died a few months ago in a fire." she said quietly. Ian looked down.
"So that's why Mummy called Amy a pathetic orphan. Like little orphan Annie. She doesn't have a mum or dad. Where does she live now?"
"With her Aunt Beatrice." Irina shuddered at the name. So did Ian.
"That evil lady with the blue hair? That's awful."
Irina though about how sad little Amelia and Daniel must be in that women's home. What Ian didn't know is that his own mother was responsible for his little friend's miserable life. She thought of how bad she hurt from losing one child, but they lost both parents. Nikolai and Amy were friends at one point.
"Irina?" Ian yawned. "Can I go to bed?"
"Do you suppose you could call me Aunt Irina? You're the same age as a child I once knew." she said wistfully. Then she looked at Ian in alarm.
"If Mummy isn't around, I guess. But you have to do something for me." he said.
Ian went up the stairs for a few moments. He held up a book for her to see. It was a beautiful leather-bound copy of Pride and Prejudice.
"Bring this to Amy next time you see her, and tell her I'm sorry." he said sadly.
"I will."
"Thank you Aunt Irina."