said, and hugged her and rested his chin against her head. ‘ Hush, 'Veshka, it's all right. ’
She had not even known she was tired until then. Her shoulders ached. ‘ She's just being difficult. ’
‘ She doesn't understand why you worry. ’
‘ I wasn't scolding her, I was talking to her. She's in a mood, that's all. There's nothing you can do with her. ’
‘ She's just fine, 'Veshka, the storm's over. No lightning. She's just confused why you were fighting.''
‘ I'll tell you why we were fighting! She's so sure she knows everything in the world and of course we couldn't possibly understand her, since we don't agree with her! She's the first one in all the world to want her own damned way!''
‘ Hush. ’
‘ I'm not a child, Pyetr, don't coddle me. I know what she's going through. ’
‘ May I say, 'Veshka, please don't get angry at me— ’
‘ It's not a good time, Pyetr. Today isn't a good time. ’
‘ Listen anyway. I trust you. What happened to you when you were sixteen wasn't all your fault. Your father made no few mistakes himself, bringing you up. You couldn't go to him. You couldn't trust him. He made that bed for himself and he regretted it all his life. Don't let him teach Ilyana. Hear me? ’
She felt cold all over. And sixteen again. And scared, except for Pyetr's arms keeping her safe. The house timbers groaned: the domovoi in the cellar felt that chill.
‘ He's gone, ’ she said. ‘ There's nothing left of him, except what he passed to Sasha. Ask him. ’
‘ Except his lessons. Except his wishing you. And he did do that, 'Veshka. ’
‘ I don't do it with Ilyana! ’ She pulled away and stood squarely on her feet. ‘ Dammit, Pyetr, I don't wish at her and I don't read her my father's lessons—I'm trying to tell her instead of letting her find things out the hard way, the way I did, and she's not listening.''
‘ She wants very much to please you. She doesn't know how. ’
‘ Oh, damn, if she doesn't know how! She can try showing up for supper before it's on the table, she can try— ’
' ‘ Veshka. 'Veshka.'' Pyetr held up his hands and looked upset with her. ‘ Your father wanted his house kept, wanted his meals on time, wanted you to say Yes, papa, and Of course, papa, and Anything you want, papa. He wanted a damn doll in pretty braids, I saw it. He wanted you right where he could see you, because you looked like yo u r mother, 'Veshka, and he was scared to death you were going to turn into her some night before you were grown if he couldn't turn you into his ideal of a young girl! ’
‘ Pyetr, someone has to do the housework, or it doesn't get done. I don't wish the broom to dance around the room or wish the bucket up and down the hill—''
‘ It's more important to go riding, 'Veshka. ’
‘ Oh? 'It's more important to go riding?' And what, when you get home and supper isn't waiting? It's Where's my supper, 'Veshka? Are you sick, 'Veshka? I'm sorry about your floor, 'Veshka! ’
He bit his lip, ducked his head a little. ‘ I am sorry about the floor. ’
‘ But I mop it. And my daughter goes riding in the woods. My daughter can't remember to come home at dark, never mind I've done all the cooking— ’
‘ A bargain. I'll mop the floor. You and Ilyana go riding. ’
‘ Oh, god, you'd mop the floor. You'd have water— ’
‘ Now! ’ he said, holding up his finger. ‘ Now, 'Veshka, there's a problem we should talk about. ’
‘ What problem? ’
He threw up his hands, hit his cap on his leg, walked a small circle back again. ‘ Dear wife, let somebody do something right for you.''
‘ I'm not having water dripping into my cellar, all over my shelves— ’
‘ Are you calling me a fool? ’
‘ I don't want my shelves soaked in mop-water! ’
‘ Am I fool? Is Ilyana a fool? Is Sasha? God, I've waited years for this one, 'Veshka! And I want you to answer me. No squirming out of it.''
‘ You're not a fool. ’
‘ Then will you let me
She had not even known she was tired until then. Her shoulders ached. ‘ She's just being difficult. ’
‘ She doesn't understand why you worry. ’
‘ I wasn't scolding her, I was talking to her. She's in a mood, that's all. There's nothing you can do with her. ’
‘ She's just fine, 'Veshka, the storm's over. No lightning. She's just confused why you were fighting.''
‘ I'll tell you why we were fighting! She's so sure she knows everything in the world and of course we couldn't possibly understand her, since we don't agree with her! She's the first one in all the world to want her own damned way!''
‘ Hush. ’
‘ I'm not a child, Pyetr, don't coddle me. I know what she's going through. ’
‘ May I say, 'Veshka, please don't get angry at me— ’
‘ It's not a good time, Pyetr. Today isn't a good time. ’
‘ Listen anyway. I trust you. What happened to you when you were sixteen wasn't all your fault. Your father made no few mistakes himself, bringing you up. You couldn't go to him. You couldn't trust him. He made that bed for himself and he regretted it all his life. Don't let him teach Ilyana. Hear me? ’
She felt cold all over. And sixteen again. And scared, except for Pyetr's arms keeping her safe. The house timbers groaned: the domovoi in the cellar felt that chill.
‘ He's gone, ’ she said. ‘ There's nothing left of him, except what he passed to Sasha. Ask him. ’
‘ Except his lessons. Except his wishing you. And he did do that, 'Veshka. ’
‘ I don't do it with Ilyana! ’ She pulled away and stood squarely on her feet. ‘ Dammit, Pyetr, I don't wish at her and I don't read her my father's lessons—I'm trying to tell her instead of letting her find things out the hard way, the way I did, and she's not listening.''
‘ She wants very much to please you. She doesn't know how. ’
‘ Oh, damn, if she doesn't know how! She can try showing up for supper before it's on the table, she can try— ’
' ‘ Veshka. 'Veshka.'' Pyetr held up his hands and looked upset with her. ‘ Your father wanted his house kept, wanted his meals on time, wanted you to say Yes, papa, and Of course, papa, and Anything you want, papa. He wanted a damn doll in pretty braids, I saw it. He wanted you right where he could see you, because you looked like yo u r mother, 'Veshka, and he was scared to death you were going to turn into her some night before you were grown if he couldn't turn you into his ideal of a young girl! ’
‘ Pyetr, someone has to do the housework, or it doesn't get done. I don't wish the broom to dance around the room or wish the bucket up and down the hill—''
‘ It's more important to go riding, 'Veshka. ’
‘ Oh? 'It's more important to go riding?' And what, when you get home and supper isn't waiting? It's Where's my supper, 'Veshka? Are you sick, 'Veshka? I'm sorry about your floor, 'Veshka! ’
He bit his lip, ducked his head a little. ‘ I am sorry about the floor. ’
‘ But I mop it. And my daughter goes riding in the woods. My daughter can't remember to come home at dark, never mind I've done all the cooking— ’
‘ A bargain. I'll mop the floor. You and Ilyana go riding. ’
‘ Oh, god, you'd mop the floor. You'd have water— ’
‘ Now! ’ he said, holding up his finger. ‘ Now, 'Veshka, there's a problem we should talk about. ’
‘ What problem? ’
He threw up his hands, hit his cap on his leg, walked a small circle back again. ‘ Dear wife, let somebody do something right for you.''
‘ I'm not having water dripping into my cellar, all over my shelves— ’
‘ Are you calling me a fool? ’
‘ I don't want my shelves soaked in mop-water! ’
‘ Am I fool? Is Ilyana a fool? Is Sasha? God, I've waited years for this one, 'Veshka! And I want you to answer me. No squirming out of it.''
‘ You're not a fool. ’
‘ Then will you let me
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