The mystery of her charms. The most difficult logic riddles, with a trick. An exciting game with a logical twist.

Beautiful, bright and independent Maud Winwood has dreamed of becoming an actress since childhood. She leads a measured and calm lifestyle, works hard, not forgetting about her dream. Before her death, Maud's mother tells her daughter that her father is the famous actor Richard Ravensdale, who wants her to join his family. But the wayward and proud Maud does not like to play by someone else's rules. And even when her father sends his lawyer Flynn, a charming and self-confident handsome man, Maude does not betray herself. Flynn, who already has experience of unsuccessful relationships, immediately liked Maud, but he is not going to mix work and personal life. The only thing he cares about is Richard's request. Flynn is confident that he can use all his skills and convince Maud. But every day, communication with her threatens his professional reputation more and more, because the attraction he feels for the eccentric beauty begins to interfere with his work...

The work was published in 2016 by Tsentrpolygraph publishing house. The book is part of the "Romance Novel - Harlequin" series. On our website you can download the book “The Mystery of Her Charms” in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. Here, before reading, you can also turn to reviews from readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In our partner's online store you can buy and read the book in paper form.

What is it: blue, big, with a mustache and completely stuffed with bunnies?

(Trolleybus)

She will fluff up her sides,
Its four corners,
And you, when night comes,
It will still attract you.

(Pillow)

Not a rider, but with spurs,
It's not an alarm clock, but it wakes everyone up.

Soup, salad, mashed potatoes, cutlets
Always served in... (Plate)
And for tea and yogurt
Submit, my friend...

Spreads its tail like a peacock,
He walks like an important gentleman,
Feet knock on the ground,
What's his name -...

This item is indispensable for predictions.
Wizards all use it.
It is round and transparent, like glass,
It is quite easy to see the future in it.

She's beautiful and sweet
And her name comes from the word “ash”.

(Cinderella)

One eye, one horn, but not a rhinoceros?

(A cow peeks out from around the corner)

Five boys
Five closets.
The boys went their separate ways
In dark closets.
Every boy
In your closet.

(Fingers and gloves)

The nose is round, with a snout,
It’s convenient for them to rummage in the ground,
Small crochet tail
Instead of shoes - hooves.
Three of them - and to what extent?
Friendly brothers look alike.
Guess without a hint
Who are the heroes of this fairy tale?
(Three piglets)

My father had a strange boy,
Unusual - wooden.
But the father loved his son.
What a weird one
Wooden man
On land and under water
Looking for a golden key?
He sticks his long nose everywhere.
Who is this?.. (Pinocchio).

Heather white-sided,
And her name is... (magpie).

Every evening I go to bed,
I'm not afraid in a room alone.
I fall asleep sweetly
Under the song of a bird - (nightingale).

We don't sleep during the day
We don't sleep at night
And day and night
We knock, we knock.
(Watch)

I'm sitting on horseback
I don’t know on whom.
(A cap)

The autumn rain walked through the city,
The rain lost its mirror.
The mirror lies on the asphalt,
The wind will blow and it will tremble. (Puddle)

I have two horses, two horses.
They carry me along the water.
And the water is hard, like stone!
(Skates, ice)

I've been wearing them for many years
But I don’t know the number of them.
(Hair)

A very strange postman:
He's not a Muggle, he's not a wizard.
Deliver letters and newspapers,
Carries a parcel to the ends of the world,
He knows how to keep all secrets.
Winged and brave and vigilant he is.
Who is this postman? (Owl)

Three eyes - three orders,
Red is the most dangerous.
(Traffic light)

Who comes, who goes,
Everyone leads her by the hand.
(Door)

It stings your ears, it stings your nose,
Frost creeps into felt boots.
If you splash water, it will fall
Not water, but ice.
Not even a bird can fly
The frost freezes the bird.
The sun turned towards summer.
What month is this, tell me?
(January)

He doesn't say who made me. Those who don't know me accept me. Who knows, he won’t let me into the yard.
(Fake coin)

If it weren't for him,
I wouldn't say anything.
(Language)

Laughing Egorka took up cleaning,
He started dancing around the room,
I looked around - the floor was clean.
(Broom)

The fat woman is standing -
Wooden belly
Iron belt.
(Barrel)

Hot, sultry, stuffy day,
Even chickens seek shade.
The mowing of grain has begun,
Time for berries and mushrooms.
His days are the peak of summer,
What month is this, tell me?
(July)

There is water all around, but drinking is a problem. (Sea).

There are two sharp sticks at the edges,
In the middle there is something
What will all the kids exclaim?
If they suddenly hear him.
(Bell)

A warm south wind blows,
The sun is shining brighter.
The snow is thinning, softening, melting,
The loud rook flies in.
What month? Who will know?
(March)

Thirty-two are threshing,
one turns.
(Teeth and tongue)

The sun is burning
Linden blossoms.
The rye is spiking,
The wheat is golden.
Who's to say, who knows
When does this happen?
(Summer)

He has a lot of teeth, but he doesn't eat anything.
(Comb)

What is it with Galochka?
A thread on a stick
Stick in hand
And a thread in the river.
(Fishing rod)

I'm as light as a feather, but you can't hold me for long.
(Inhale)

A piece of paper in the morning
They bring us to our apartment,
On one such sheet
a lot of different news.
(Newspaper)

When you see me, you can't see anything else. I can make you go out even if you don't have the opportunity. Sometimes I tell the truth, sometimes I lie. But if I'm lying, I'm close to the truth. Who am I?
(Dream)

Who walks on 4 legs in the morning, 2 legs in the afternoon, and 3 legs in the evening?
(Man. Morning is childhood, evening is old age)

People always have
Ships always have them.
(Nose)

Not a rider, but with spurs, not a watchman, but waking everyone up (rooster)

Elastic band Akulinka
I went for a walk along the back.
And while she was walking,
The back turned pink.
(Washcloth)

In this month everything is hidden, in this month it snows, in this month everything is warmer, in this month it is Women's Day.
(March)

Pakhom sits
On horseback,
I'm illiterate myself
And reading helps.
(Glasses)

Spinning, chirping,
He's busy all day.
(Magpie)

The river roars furiously
And breaks the ice.
The starling returned to his house,
And in the forest the bear woke up.
A lark trills in the sky.
Who came to us?
(April)

I received these miracle bricks as a gift,
What I put together, I break,
And I start all over again.
(Cubes)

Lives without a tongue
Doesn't eat or drink
And he speaks and sings.
(Radio)

He sat on the fence, sang and shouted, and when everyone had gathered, he stopped talking (rooster)

Snow is falling in bags from the sky,
There are snowdrifts around the house.
Either blizzards or blizzards
They attacked the village.
The frost is severe at night,
During the day, drops can be heard ringing.
The day has grown noticeably
Well, what month is this?
(February)

Doesn't bark, doesn't bite, and is tied to the booth.
(Chain)

A bird sits on the white mountains, waiting for the living from the dead (mother hen)

In the forest it's a blunder, a blunder at home, if you take it on your knees, it will cry.
(Balalaika)

If it goes down, it breaks the road, if it goes up, it builds.
(Zip dog on jacket)

Even though she herself is snow and ice,
And when he leaves, he sheds tears.
(Winter)

He's a swing and a bed,
It's good to lie on it,
Is he in the garden or in the forest
Will sway on the weight.
(Hammock)

Duck in the sea, tail on the fence. (Ladle)

It pours into it, pours out of it, and weaves itself along the ground. (River).

Warm, long, long day,
At noon - a tiny shadow,
The ear of corn blooms in the field,
The grasshopper gives a voice,
Strawberries are ripening
What month is it, tell me?
(June)

Every year they come to visit us:
One is gray-haired, the other is young,

(Seasons)

A little boy in a gray army jacket
Snoops around the yards, picks up crumbs,
He wanders around at night and steals hemp.
(Sparrow)

I'm puffing, puffing, puffing,
I don't want to get warm anymore.
The lid rang loudly:
"Drink tea, the water has boiled!"
(Kettle)

The river is flowing - we are lying.
Ice on the river - we are running.
(Skates)

Frequent, toothy,
He grabbed the curly forelock.
(Scallop)

All my life I've been flapping my wings,
But it can’t fly away.
(Windmill)

In a wooden house
Dwarves live.
Such good-natured people -
They hand out lights to everyone.
(Matches)

Two sisters next to each other
They run lap after lap.
Shorty - just once
The one above is every hour.
(Clock hands)

One says
Two people look
Two people are listening.
(Tongue, eyes, ears)

A small dog lies curled up -
Doesn't bark, doesn't bite, and doesn't let him into the house.
(Lock)

It knocks all the time, it hits trees.
But it doesn’t cripple them, it only heals them.
(Woodpecker)

Black vest, red beret.
The nose is like an ax, the tail is like a stop.
(Woodpecker)

The bridge stretched for seven miles,
And at the end of the bridge there is a golden mile.
(A week)

Apples on the branches in winter!
Collect them quickly!
And suddenly the apples flew up,
After all, this...
(Bullfinches)

So that autumn doesn't get wet,
Not soggy from water,
He turned puddles into glass,
Made the gardens snowy.
(Winter)

If it rains, we don’t bother -
We playfully wander through the puddles,
The sun will shine -
We should stand under the coat rack.
(Galoshes, boots)

What will this eye look at?
Everything will be transferred to the picture.
(Camera)

He will knock his nose on the ground,
He will flap his wing and scream.
Even sleepy he screams,
The screamer is restless.
(Rooster)

And in the forest, mind you, children,
There are night watchmen.
The watchmen are afraid of these
Mice, hiding, trembling!
Very harsh
Eagle owls and...
(Owls)

Who whitens the glades with white
And writes on the walls with chalk,
Sews down feather beds,
Have you decorated all the windows?
(Winter)

He has a rubber trunk,
With a canvas stomach.
How his engine hums,
He swallows both dust and rubbish.
(Vacuum cleaner)

If I stood up, I would reach the sky.
(Road)

Girded with a stone belt
Hundreds of cities and villages.
(Highway)

The snow is melting, the meadow has come to life.
The day is coming. When does this happen?
(Spring)

The tree grew from the ground to the sky.
There are twelve branches on this tree.
There are four nests on each knot.
Each nest contains seven eggs.
And the seventh is red.
(Year, months, weeks, days)

It dies in the evening and comes back to life in the morning.
(Day)

I am made of heat, I carry warmth with me,
I warm the rivers, “swim!” - I invite you.
And you all love me for this, I...
(Summer)

Front - awl, rear - fork,
On top there is black cloth,
Below is a white towel.
(Martin)

I'm running down a flight of stairs,
Ringing over the pebbles,
From afar by song
You will recognize me.
(Stream)

Small, round,
But you can't catch it by the tail.
(Clew)

Black, agile,
Shouts "krak" - the enemy of worms.
(Rook)

In the morning it goes at four,
During the day at two, and in the evening at three.
(Child, adult, old man)

He appeared in a yellow fur coat:
Goodbye, two shells!
(Chick)

The beauty walks, touches the ground lightly,
Goes to the field, to the river,
Both the snowball and the flower.
(Spring)

On the wall, in a visible place,
Gathers news together
And then its tenants
They will fly to all ends.
(Mailbox)

Her whole soul is wide open,
And even though there are buttons, it’s not a shirt,
Not a turkey, but pouting,
And it’s not a bird, but it’s flooding.
(Harmonic)

Today everyone is rejoicing!
In the hands of a child
They dance for joy
Air...
(balls)

If I see dust, I will grumble, wrap it up and swallow it.
(Vacuum cleaner)

She was chattering since the very morning: “Por-r-ra! Po-r-ra!”
What time is it? What a hassle she is,
When it cracks...
(Magpie)

The motley fidget, the long-tailed bird,
The bird is talkative, the most talkative.
The soothsayer is white-sided, and her name is...
(Magpie)

In Moscow they say it, but here we can hear it.
(radio)

Carpenter using a sharp chisel
Builds a house with one window.
(Woodpecker)

I’ll sit under your arm and tell you what to do:
Either I’ll put you to bed, or I’ll let you go for a walk.
(Thermometer)

Angry touchy-feely
Lives in the wilderness of the forest.
There are a lot of needles
And not just one thread.
(Hedgehog)

Blue house at the gate.
Guess who lives in it.
The door is narrow under the roof -
Not for a squirrel, not for a mouse,
Not for the outsider,
A talkative starling.
News is flying through this door,
They spend half an hour together.
News does not stay for a long time -
They fly in all directions!
(Mailbox)

White feathers, red comb.
Who's that on the peg?
(Peter the Cockerel)

There are no clouds on the horizon,
But an umbrella opened in the sky.
In a few minutes
Got down...
(parachute)

Doesn't burn in fire
Doesn't drown in water
It doesn't rot in the ground.
(Is it true)

Guess who the gray-haired housewife is?
She shook the featherbeds - over the world of fluff.
(Winter)

Tick-tweet! Jump to the grains!
Peck, don't be shy! Who is this?
(Sparrow)

In linen country
Along the river sheet
The ship is sailing,
Back and forth
And behind him there is such a smooth surface,
Not a wrinkle to be seen.
(Iron)

House is a glass bubble,
And a light lives in it.
During the day he sleeps, but when he wakes up,
It will light up with a bright flame.
(Flashlight)

Red doors in my cave,
White animals sit at the door.
And meat and bread - all my spoils -
I gladly give it to white animals.
(Lips, teeth, mouth)

Walked around the yard with importance
crocodile with a sharp beak,
I shook my head all day,
muttered something loudly.
Only this was true
no crocodile
and turkeys are your best friend.
Guess who?..
(Turkey)

Everyone tramples me, but I'm getting better.
(Path)

He is in a bright uniform, spurs for beauty
During the day he is a bully, in the morning he is a clock.
(Rooster)

A steeplejack stands on the roof
And catches news for us.
(Antenna)

I silently look at everyone
And everyone looks at me.
The merry ones see laughter
I cry with the sad.
Deep like a river
I'm at home, on your wall.
An old man will see an old man,
The child is the child in me.
(Mirror)

In a small barn
They hold a hundred fires.
(Matches)

It's getting cold.
The water turned into ice.
Long-eared gray bunny
Turned into a white bunny.
The bear stopped roaring:
A bear hibernated in the forest.
Who's to say, who knows
When does this happen?
(Winter)

Who's on the Christmas tree?
Keeps counting: peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo?
(Cuckoo)

Not offended, but inflated,
They lead him across the field.
But they’ll hit me - no matter
Don't keep up with...
(ball)

Has no tongue
And who will he visit?
He knows a lot.
(Newspaper)

Who sings so loudly
about the sun rising?
(Cockerel)

I decorate the house too,
I also collect dust.
And people trample me under their feet,
Yes, then they still beat us with batogs.
(Carpet)

Yesterday it was, today it is and tomorrow it will be.
(Time)

She doesn't need a driver at all.
You start it with the key -
The wheels will start spinning.
Place it and she will rush.
(Wind-up machine)

It has no legs and no wings,
He flies fast, you won't catch him.
(Time)

Clucking, clucking, calling the children together,
He gathers everyone under his wing.
(Hen with chicks)

I have a tree
There are twelve branches on it;
Each branch has thirty leaves;
One side of the leaf is black,
The other one is white.
(Year, months, days, nights)

Snow on the fields, ice on the waters,
The blizzard is walking. When does this happen?
(Winter)

Every day at six in the morning
I'm shouting: it's time to get up!
(Alarm)

I am related to Moydodyr,
Turn me away
And cold water
I'll wash you quickly.
(Tap)

What tool can you use to slurp cabbage soup?
(Spoon)

What cannot be returned?
(Time)

I have a robot in my apartment.
He has a huge trunk.
The robot loves cleanliness
And it hums like a TU airliner
He willingly swallows dust,
Doesn't get sick, doesn't sneeze.
(Vacuum cleaner)

I lie above the river, I hold both banks.
(Bridge)

Olya listens in the forest,
How the cuckoos cry.
And for this we need
Our Ole...
(Ears)

It's given to you
And people use it.
(Name)

Wrinkled Tit
The whole village is amused.
(Harmonic)

Olya runs merrily
Along the path to the river.
And for this we need
Our Ole...
(Legs)

I'm standing on the roof, above all the pipes.
(Antenna)

Greets everyone with one hand,
The other hand escorts you.
(Door)

Admire, look -
The North Pole is inside!
Snow and ice sparkle there,
Winter itself lives there.
(Fridge)

Sleeps during the day, flies at night.
(Owl)

Night. But if I want,
I'll click once and turn it on for the day.
(Switch)

If our hands are waxed,
If there are blots on your nose,
Who is our first friend then?
Will it remove dirt from your face and hands?
What mom can't live without
No cooking, no washing,
Without what, we will say frankly,
Should a person die?
For the rain to fall from the sky,
So that the ears of bread grow,
For ships to sail -
We can't live without...
(Water)

The house is made of tin, and the residents in it are leaders.
(Mailbox)

As soon as he starts talking and talking,
We need to make some tea quickly.
(Kettle)

There is a palace on the pole, and in the palace there is a singer.
(Starling)

Slipping away like something alive
But I won't let him out.
Foams with white foam,
I'm not too lazy to wash my hands.
(Soap)

What kind of blacksmiths forge in the forest?
(Woodpecker)

Of all the migratory birds,
cleans the arable land from worms.
(Rook)

He reveals himself, he closes you,
As soon as the rain passes, it will do the opposite.
(Umbrella)

Day and night I stand on the roof,
There are no ears, but I hear everything,
I look into the distance, although without eyes,
My story is on the screen.
(Antenna)

The monster's emerald eye began to glow.
So, you can cross the street now.
(Traffic light)

I held your tail in my hand,
You flew, I ran.
(Balloon)

What comb does no one use to comb their hair? (rooster)

What kind of judge is without a tongue?
(Scales)

One is gray-haired, the other is young,
The third is jumping, and the fourth is crying.
What kind of guests are these?
(Seasons)

He rides on someone else's back, but carries the load on his own.
(Saddle)

She walks in the rain
Loves to pluck grass
Quack screams, It's all a joke,
Well, of course it's a (duck).

On the squares of the board
The kings brought down the regiments.
Not for battle near regiments
No cartridges, no bayonets.
(Chess)

Guys, I have
Two silver horses.
I ride both at once
What kind of horses do I have?
(Skates)

A tail with patterns, boots with spurs,
Sings songs, counts time.
(Rooster)

They love the young man very much, but they beat him and beat him endlessly. (Ball).

A small head sits on the finger.
Hundreds of eyes looking in all directions.
(Thimble)

There is a bathhouse in the belly, a sieve in the nose, and a navel on the head. There is only one hand, and that one is on the back. What is this?
(Kettle)

The distance of the fields is green,
The nightingale sings.
The garden is dressed in white,
The bees are the first to fly.
Thunder rumbles. Guess,
What month is this?..
(May)

I'm a helpful belly.
I gladly treat everyone.
I remain silent like an idol.
And then I sing songs. (Samovar)

The tablecloth is white
Dressed the whole world.
(Winter)

In which month do people talk the least?
(In February)

It flows and flows - it will not leak; runs-runs - not you-runs. (River)

I'm spinning, I'm spinning,
And I'm not lazy
Spin around even all day long.
(Yula)

Not shoes, not boots,
But they are also worn by legs.
We run in them in winter:
In the morning - to school, in the afternoon - home.
(Felt boots)

Born twice, never baptized, prophet to all people (rooster)

Thirty-two warriors have one commander.
(Teeth and tongue)

twelve brothers
They wander after each other,
They don't bypass each other.
(months)

He wanders importantly through the meadow,
Comes out of the water dry,
Wears red shoes
Gives soft featherbeds.
(Goose)

Which year is it for me?
a hedgehog lives in the room.
If the floor is waxed,
He will polish it to a shine.
Answer (Poloter)

They knock and knock - they don’t tell you to be bored.
They go and go, and everything is just there.
(Watch)

In the forest, to the sound of chirping, ringing and whistling,
The forest telegraph operator knocks:
"Hey, thrush, buddy!"
And signs...
(Woodpecker)

Four blue suns
In grandma's kitchen
Four blue suns
They burned and went out.
The cabbage soup is ripe, the pancakes are sizzling.
No need for sun until tomorrow.
(Gas stove)

There are four legs under the roof,
Under the roof there is soup and spoons.
(Table)

They beat him with a hand and a stick -
Nobody feels sorry for him.
Why are they beating the poor guy?
And for the fact that he is inflated.
(Ball)

Come on guys, who can guess:
Are two fur coats enough for ten brothers?
(Mittens)

Leaned over the river -
Their agreement is this:
The river will exchange for her
Perch on a worm.
(Fishing rod)

A warm wave splashes
There is whiteness under the wave.
Guess, remember,
What kind of sea is in the room?
(Bath)

I'm knocking on wood, I want to get a worm,
Even though he hid under the bark -
It will still be mine!
(Woodpecker)

Two brothers
They look into the water
They will never meet.
(Shores)

Two very fast horses
They carry me through the snow -
Through the meadow to the birch tree,
Two stripes are drawn.
(Skis)

In our house under the window
There is a hot accordion:
She doesn't sing or play - she heats the house.
(Heating radiator)

Five brothers -
Equal for years, different in height.
(Fingers)

Not a king, but wearing a crown,
not a horseman, but with spurs,
It's not an alarm clock, but it wakes everyone up.
(Rooster)

He doesn’t know the days himself, but tells others.
(Calendar)

Round, deep,
Smooth, wide,
twisted by a potter,
Burnt in the oven,
From the jug - low
Clay... (bowl).

The train goes here - here - here...
Suddenly they bring it to our compartment
What kind of liquid? Answer!
The guide brought us... (tea).
So as not to burn your palms,
Protect the passenger
(And keep everyone safe)
When you drink hot tea,
Get the installation:
This glassware is
(In recent years the main one)
The main one on the train.
The glass is his boss,
And he himself... (cup holder).

If she works,
There will be no hungry family.
(Bake)

Narrow at the bottom, wide at the top,
Not a saucepan... (cast iron).

From the Russian oven
Get the porridge out of the oven.
Cast iron is very happy,
That he was grabbed... (grab).

Previously, like a wooden basin,
Served people constantly
There were grip handles
At the old ... (tub).

To go to the bathhouse,
And carry some water in it,
With such a pelvis
Two pens at once.
Splash water from it - ka!
That's the basin with the name... (gang)!

Here are the manicure tongs,
Here are the nail pliers,
And these (tongs) are old
For those with a sweet tooth they were more important.
(Sugar tongs)

I always draw, sometimes faces, sometimes faces.
My palette is different faces
I help them transform faster
Into a villain, into a beauty, into a blue bird,
Into the beast, into Bab-Yoshka,
In a horror story, in Koshchei,
In a funny matryoshka doll,
In the cat, in Barmaleya.
My client is an actor.
I'm cool... (makeup artist)

Works in the theater
Protects clothes
He irons and darns,
Attaches glitter and sews.
Trying it on for an actor
A jacket, for example,
His profession is... (costume designer).

Every person knows
What is sculpted from clay... (glechek).

There have been no such dishes for a long time,
All metal and glass
And in the old days everyone had
More often the dishes... (clay).

Wooden bottom and none -
Above and below it.
The boards are crooked in a circle,
Slightly curved, not large
And not fastened with nails,
And they are belted with rims.
(Barrel, tub)

There is a dot sign
There is a “bud” on the branch,
And it’s similar to a tub
On the farm... (barrel).

There is the word "gun".
There is a “frog”
And there is a vessel... (tub).

For rain water,
What flows from the drainpipe,
(What flows from the roof to the ground)
At the clay hut
There was... (tub).

There is a Dymkovo toy -
"Watercarrier" name,
On her shoulders
Wooden arc.
(Yoke)

Long, low,
Galvanized by someone,
Needed for washing
Maybe for swimming.
The vessel is strange
Has a name.
I don't know who it is
Title open
But this vessel
Just …. (trough).

Without work - she's cold,
And after work - red from the fire.
(Poker)

An iron leg is... (a poker).

Helps you cope
There is a beauty at the stove:
Remove the rings from the stove,
So that you install the cast iron.
(Poker)

Correct the firebox
Will help deftly
Fire Assistant
Hard worker... (poker).

She has one leg
Ooh, she's hot.
(Poker)

Plump, wide,
Smooth and tall.
What's her name guys?
She's a little heavy.
You can pour ten liters
In the potty sister... (makitra).

The pot has a sister -
Wide, tall,
Plump and kind.
Her name is... (makitra).

Although I'm not a hammer -
I'm knocking on wood:
Every corner of it
I want to explore.
I wear a red hat
And the acrobat is wonderful.
(Woodpecker)

How many peas can fit into one glass?
(Not at all, because peas don’t move.)

Golden sieve, full of black houses. (Language)

I'm for any girl
I'll cover my hair
I'll cover the boy too
Short haircuts.
I am protection from the sun -
That's what it's made for.
(Panama)

On the stove is the boss of the pots.
Fat, long-nosed... (Kettle)

I ride it
Until evening.
But my horse is lazy
Carries only from the mountain.
And always up the hill
I walk on my own
And his horse
I lead by the rope.
(Sled)

It starts from home
It ends at home.
(Road)

What is the correct way to say: “I don’t see the white yolk” or “I don’t see the white yolk”? (The yolk cannot be white.)

Say the magic words
Just barely wave the object:
The flowers will bloom instantly
Between the snowdrifts here and there.
Can you conjure rain?
There are five cakes at once.
And lemonade, and sweets...
You name that item! (Magic wand)

What do you want -
You can't buy that
What not to do -
You can't sell that.
(Youth and old age)

Guess what kind of bird
Afraid of bright light
Beak with a hook, eye with a snout?
(Owl)

There are different girlfriends nearby,
But they look alike.
They all sit next to each other,
And just one toy.
(Matryoshka)

Moscow was started, what was the first nail they hammered into? (In a hat.)

Two twins, two brothers,
They sit astride the nose.
(Glasses)

There will be delicious food
With a golden crust
If you use...
That's right, (with a frying pan!)

What is it: flies, rustles, and not rustles? (Rustler's brother.)

I work in the theater.
I'm just an aunt during intermission.
And on the stage is the queen,
Either granny or fox.
Knows Kolya and Larisa,
That in the theater I ... (actress)

Not the sea, not the land,
Ships don't float
But you can’t walk.
(Swamp)

So as not to freeze,
Five guys
Knitted in the oven
They are sitting.
(Mittens)

Admire, look -
The North Pole is inside!
Snow and ice sparkle there,
Winter itself lives there.
Forever this winter for us
Brought from the store.
(Fridge)

I have no legs, but I walk
I have no mouth, but I will say,
When to sleep, when to get up,
When to start work.
(Watch)

If he falls, he will jump,
If you hit him, he won't cry.
(Ball)

Motley fidget,
Long-tailed bird,
Talkative bird
The most chatty one.
(Magpie)

He sits in a cage all day,
And he repeats under his breath,
But when I heard the door creak,
He shouts "Philip-Philip"
Give Kesha a drink quickly,
Who is this (parrot).

What always comes
Will it not move?
(Watch)

The fat man lives on the roof
He flies higher than everyone else.
(Carlson)

The grandmother loved the girl very much.
I gave her a red cap.
The girl forgot her name.
Well, tell me her name.
(Little Red Riding Hood)

Your ponytail
I held it in my hand
You flew -
I ran.
(Balloon)

Unapproachable, lonely,
On a steep, high cliff,
A gloomy block in appearance
He is standing by the lake.
Through ancient loopholes
It looks into the surface of the lake. (Lock)

What kind of dishes can you not eat anything from?
(From empty.)

He's always at work
When we talk
And he’s resting
When we are silent.
(Language)

With a tail, but you can’t lift it by the tail
(Clew)

What word starts with three letters "G" and ends with three letters "I"? ("Trigonometry".)

Didn't look out the window -
There was only Antoshka,
I looked out the window -
There's a second Antoshka!
What kind of window is this?
Where was Antoshka looking?
(Mirror)

This thing is functional:
You can sweep with it.
Well, it’s possible (it’s not a secret!)
Fly on it under the clouds.
There are Nimbus brands,
Everyone plays Quidditch on it. (Broom)

Along the river, along the water
A string of boats floats,
There's a ship ahead,
He leads them along,
Small boats have no oars
And the boat is painfully sailing.
Right, left, back, forward
He will turn the whole gang.
(Duck with ducklings)

There is a rich house and a poor one. They are burning. Which house will the police extinguish?

Police don't put out fires, firefighters put out fires

How can a person not sleep for 8 days?

Sleep at night

You enter a dark kitchen. It contains a candle, a kerosene lamp and a gas stove. What will you light first?

A girl is sitting, and you cannot sit in her place, even if she gets up and leaves. Where is she sitting?

She sits on your lap

You are standing in front of three switches. Behind an opaque wall are three light bulbs that are turned off. You need to manipulate the switches, go into the room and determine which light bulb each switch belongs to.

First you need to turn on two switches. After some time, turn off one of them. Enter the room. One light bulb will be hot from the switch on, the second will be warm from the switch off, the third will be cold from the untouched switch.

It is known that among the nine coins there is one counterfeit one, which weighs less than the rest of the coins. How can you identify a counterfeit coin in two weighings using a cup scale?

1st weighing: 3 and 3 coins. The counterfeit coin is in the pile that weighs less. If they are equal, then the fake is in the third pile. 2nd weighing: Any 2 coins from the pile with the lowest weight are compared. If they are equal, then the remaining coin is fake

Two people approach the river. There is a boat at the shore that can only support one. Both people crossed to the opposite bank. How?

They were on different banks

Two fathers, two sons found three oranges and divided them. Everyone got a whole orange. How can this be?

The dog was tied to a ten-meter rope and walked 300 meters. How did she do it?

The rope was not tied to anything

How can a thrown egg fly three meters without breaking?

You need to throw the egg four meters, then it will fly the first three meters intact

The man was driving a large truck. The lights on the car were not turned on. There was no moon either. The woman began to cross the road in front of the car. How did the driver manage to see her?

It was a bright sunny day

If five cats catch five mice in five minutes, how long does it take one cat to catch one mouse?

Five minutes

Is it possible to light a match underwater?

It is possible if you pour water into some container, for example, into a glass, and hold the match below the glass

The boat rocks on the water. A ladder was thrown from it along the side. Before high tide, the water covered only the bottom step. How long will it take for the water to cover the 3rd step from the bottom if during high tide the water rises at 20 cm per hour and the distance between the steps is 30 cm?

Never, because the boat rises with the water

How to divide five apples between five girls so that each gets an apple and at the same time one of the apples remains in the basket?

Give one girl an apple along with a basket

One and a half pike perch costs one and a half rubles. How much do 13 pike perch cost?

Traders and potters. In one city all the people were traders or potters. Merchants always told lies, but potters always told the truth. When all the people gathered in the square, each of those gathered said to the others: “You are all traders!” How many potters were there in this city?

The potter was alone because:

If there were no potters, then the traders would have to tell the truth that all the other traders are traders, and this contradicts the conditions of the problem.
If there were more than one potter, then each potter would have to lie that the rest were traders.

There are two coins on the table; they add up to 3 rubles. One of them is not 1 ruble. What coins are these?

1 and 2 rubles

The satellite makes one revolution around the Earth in 1 hour 40 minutes, and the other in 100 minutes. How can it be?

100 minutes is 1 hour 40 minutes

As you know, all Russian female names end with either the letter “a” or the letter “ya”: Anna, Maria, Irina, Natalya, Olga, etc. However, there is only one female name that ends with a different letter. Name it.

What has no length, depth, width, height, but can be measured?

Time, temperature

If it rains at 12 o'clock at night, can we expect sunny weather 72 hours later?

No, because in 72 hours it will be night

Seven brothers have one sister. How many sisters are there in total?

One yacht goes from Nice to Sanremo, the other from Sanremo to Nice. They left the harbors at the same time. For the first hour, the yachts moved at the same speed (60 km/h), but then the first yacht increased its speed to 80 km/h. Which yacht will be closer to Nice when they meet?

At the moment of their meeting they will be at the same distance from Nice

A woman was walking towards Moscow, and three men met her. Everyone has a bag, in each bag there is a cat. How many creatures were heading to Moscow?

Only the woman went to Moscow, the rest went in the other direction

There were 10 birds sitting on a tree. A hunter came and shot one bird. How many birds are left on the tree?

Not a single one - the rest of the birds flew away

The train runs from east to west, and the wind blows from north to south. In which direction does the smoke fly from the chimney?

You are running a marathon and have passed the runner who was running second. What position do you take now?

Second. If you answered that you are now first, then this is incorrect: you overtook the second runner and took his place, so you are now in second position

You are running a marathon and have passed the last runner. What position do you take now?

If you answered that it was the penultimate one, you were wrong again :). Think about how you can overtake the last runner? If you are running after him, then he is not the last. The correct answer is - it is impossible, you cannot overtake the last runner

There were three cucumbers and four apples on the table. The child took one apple from the table. How much fruit is left on the table?

3 fruits, and cucumbers are vegetables

The product first rose in price by 10%, and then fell in price by 10%. What is its value now relative to its original value?

99%: after the price increase, 10% was added to 100% - it turned out to be 110%; 10% of 110% = 11%; then subtract 11% from 110% and get 99%

How many times does the number 4 appear in the integers from 1 to 50?

15 times: 4, 14, 24, 34, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 - twice, 45, 46. 47, 48, 49

You have driven your car two-thirds of the way. At the beginning of the journey, the car's gas tank was full, but now it is one quarter full. Will there be enough gasoline until the end of the trip (at the same consumption)?

No, because 1/4< 1/3

Mary's father has 5 daughters: Chacha, Cheche, Chichi, Chocho. What is the name of the fifth daughter?

A deaf and mute man went into a stationery store to buy a pencil sharpener. He stuck his finger into his left ear and made a spinning motion with the fist of his other hand near his right ear. The seller immediately understood what was being asked of him. Then a blind man entered the same store. How did he explain to the salesman that he wanted to buy scissors?

I just said, he's blind, but not dumb

A rooster has flown to the border between Russia and China. I sat down exactly on the border, absolutely in the middle. Layed an egg. It fell exactly across: the border divides it in the middle. Which country does the egg belong to?

Roosters don't lay eggs!

One morning, a soldier who had previously been on night guard approached the centurion and said that that night he had seen in a dream how the barbarians would attack the fortress from the north that evening. The centurion did not really believe in this dream, but still took measures. That same evening, the barbarians actually attacked the fortress, but thanks to the measures taken, their attack was repulsed. After the battle, the centurion thanked the soldier for the warning and then ordered him to be taken into custody. Why?

Because he slept on duty

There are ten fingers on the hands. How many fingers are there on ten hands?

A plane with English tourists was flying from Holland to Spain. He crashed in France. Where should the surviving (wounded) tourists be buried?

The survivors do not need to be buried! :)

You were driving a bus with 42 passengers from Boston to Washington. At each of the six stops, 3 people got out of it, and at every second - four. What was the driver's name when the driver arrived in Washington 10 hours later?

How about you, because in the beginning it was said that You drove the bus

What can you find in minutes, seconds and days, but not in years, decades and centuries?

How many times can you subtract 3 from 25?

Once, because after the first subtraction the number "25" will change to "22"

Mrs. Taylor's entire bungalow is decorated in pink, with pink light fixtures, pink walls, pink carpets, and a pink ceiling. What color are the stairs in this bungalow?

There are no stairs in the bungalow

In the ancient castle where the prison was located, there were 4 round towers in which prisoners were imprisoned. One of the prisoners decided to escape. And then one fine day he hid in a corner, and when a guard came in, he stunned him with a blow to the head, and he ran away, changing into different clothes. Could this happen?

No, since the towers were round and there were no corners

The 12-story building has an elevator. Only 2 people live on the ground floor; from floor to floor the number of residents doubles. Which button in the elevator of this building is pressed most often?

Regardless of the distribution of residents by floor - button “1”

A pair of horses ran 20 kilometers. Question: How many kilometers did each horse run individually?

20 kilometers

What can stand and walk, hang and stand, walk and lie at the same time?

Is it possible to predict the score of a football match before it starts, and if so, how?

The score of any match before it starts is always 0:0

What can a person increase in diameter by 7 times in a few seconds?

Pupil. When transitioning from bright light to darkness, the diameter can change from 1.1 to 8 mm; everything else either hardly increases or increases in diameter by no more than 2-3 times

A seller at the market sells a hat that costs 10 rubles. A buyer comes up and wants to buy it, but he only has 25 rubles. The seller sends the boy away with these 25 rubles. change it to a neighbor. The boy comes running and gives 10 + 10 +5 rubles. The seller gives the hat and change 15 rubles, and 10 rubles. keeps it for himself. After some time, a neighbor comes and says that 25 rubles. fake, demands to give her money. The seller returns her money. How much money was the seller defrauded of?

The seller was deceived for a counterfeit 25 rubles.

How many animals did Moses take on his ark?

It was not Moses who took the animals into the ark, but Noah.

2 people entered the entrance at the same time. One has an apartment on the 3rd floor, the other on the 9th. How many times will the first person get there faster than the second? Note: They simultaneously pressed buttons on 2 elevators moving at the same speed.

The usual answer is 3 times. Correct answer: 4 times. Elevators usually go from the 1st floor. The first one will travel 3-1=2 floors, and the second 9-1=8 floors, i.e. 4 times more

This riddle is often offered to children. But sometimes adults can rack their brains for a long time to figure out how to solve such a problem, so you can organize a competition: invite everyone to try to solve the problem. Whoever guesses it, regardless of age, deserves a prize. Here's the task:

6589 = 4; 5893 = 3; 1236 = 1; 1234 = 0; 0000 = 4; 5794 = 1; 1111 = 0; 4444 = 0; 7268 = 3; 1679 = 2; 3697 = 2

2793 = 1; 4895 = 3

The main thing is to look at the problem like a child, then you will understand that the answer is 3 (three circles in the writing of numbers)

Two horsemen competed to see whose horse would reach the finish line last. However, things did not go well, both stood still. Then they turned to the sage for advice, and after that they both rode at full speed.

The sage advised the horsemen to exchange horses

One student tells another: “Yesterday our college basketball team won the basketball game with a score of 76:40. At the same time, not a single basketball player scored a single goal in this match.”

Women's teams played

A man walks into a store, buys sausage and asks to cut it, not across, but lengthwise. The saleswoman asks: “Are you a fireman?” - "Yes". How did she guess?

The man was in uniform

The lady did not have a driver's license with her. She did not stop at the railroad crossing, although the barrier was down, then, not paying attention to the “brick,” she moved along a one-way street against the traffic and stopped only after passing three blocks. All this happened in front of a traffic police officer, who for some reason did not consider it necessary to intervene.

The lady was walking

On one Odessa street there were three tailoring workshops. The first tailor advertised himself as follows: “The best workshop in Odessa!” The second is “The best workshop in the world!” The third “outdid” them both.

“The best workshop on this street!”

Two brothers were drinking at a bar. Suddenly, one of them began to argue with the bartender, and then pulled out a knife and, not paying attention to his brother’s attempts to stop him, hit the bartender. At his trial he was found guilty of murder. At the end of the trial, the judge said: “You have been found guilty of murder, but I have no choice but to let you go.” Why did the judge have to do this?

The culprit was one of the conjoined twins. The judge could not send a guilty person to prison without putting an innocent person there as well.

We were traveling in the same compartment: Baba Yaga, Zmey Gorynych, a stupid ensign and a smart ensign. There was a bottle of beer on the table. The train entered the tunnel and it became dark. When the train came out of the tunnel, the bottle was empty. Who drank the beer?

The stupid ensign drank the beer, since the other creatures are unreal and do not occur in life!)

– I will not serve a client at table nine!

Maud blushed and, accompanied by her colleague Marnie, rushed to the kitchen of a small cafe. Of course, she wants to become an actress, but this play is not from her repertoire. And in general, no one is going to be nice to this gentleman in a suit from Bond Street. Yes, she would not want to lose this position now. First, she needs to get her first role, which will help her forget forever about all the small low-paid jobs in which she had to work hard.

Marnie looked at her guest, then back at Maude.

“He looks a lot like Flynn Karlan.” You know, that star lawyer who works with Richard and Elizabeth Ravensdale.

“Yes, that’s him,” Maud muttered through her teeth and began throwing knives into the dishwasher as if it were the face of a star lawyer. How the hell had he managed to find her again?

Maude didn't want her bosses or even her fellow buddies to know who she really was. “Richard Ravensdale's Shameful Secret” - these are the headlines that have graced the tabloids for the past three weeks. It was lucky that no one was able to get hold of her current photographs. She turned out to be the daughter of a famous actor and a simple barmaid at a hotel, with whom he had an affair that lasted exactly two nights.

She would not have enough words to describe her relationship with her biological father. His action is the height of baseness. Having learned about his girlfriend's pregnancy, he simply bought off his illegitimate daughter, as if from a headache.

Until the last moment no one recognized her. She constantly changed her hairstyle and wore discreet clothes, in a word, she did everything so as not to have anything to do with the photographs that reporters finally managed to get hold of. She even had to change her name so that a mosquito could not erode her nose. However, she has been literally persecuted for the past two months. Flynn did everything possible to convince her to join her father's house and love her father, but she was not going to succumb to his persuasion, refusing to meet with her biological parent under any pretext. Certainly not this year, not in this life. And if this lawyer thinks that just waving a large check in her face or harassing her by showing up at one job or another of her jobs is enough, he needs to try harder.

Marnie looked at her with eyes as round as saucers.

– How well do you know each other?

– Enough to know that he always drinks a double espresso with a glass of cold water.

Her friend's eyebrows went up.

– Are you sure you don’t want to?

- Absolutely. “She slammed the dishwasher door expressively. “I give it to you, enjoy it, it’s all yours.”

Marnie timidly moved to table nine, where Flynn was reading the latest newspaper. They exchanged a few words, and a flushed Marnie returned to the kitchen, guiltily shifting from foot to foot.

“He said if you don’t come to his table, he promises to call the manager.”

Maud glanced at her boss. Joe stood behind the coffee machine, filling a good half of the day's orders. If she was forced to leave this place too, her overnight stay would be in question. She had already stayed at her friend’s apartment for too long. Maud despaired of saving enough money to even rent a room. But at least she will still have a job in Notting Hill, where she volunteered to look after the house. Unfortunately, her services will only be needed for the next four weeks. This means that by the first of February she will officially become homeless if she can’t find something else.

Maud sighed, gathered her strength, smiled and headed towards the table of the caustic visitor.

- Good afternoon. Are you ready to order?

His night-black eyes lingered only briefly on her face, and then dropped to the badge pinned to the ribbon of her apron.

- Katie? – His lips slowly stretched into a smile.

Maude ignored his glee. Whenever they were in close proximity, her nerves began to fray.

– Are you as usual, sir?

His eyes lit up.

“Only this time, please, in a cup.” The taste is not the same when coffee is poured onto your lap.

Well, no, it’s not that easy to piss her off!

– Should I bring something for coffee? – She looked at the notepad. - Croissant? Cake? Toast? Bacon and eggs? Cholesterol will reliably seal your blood vessels.

The edge of his mouth twitched slightly. Okay, let him keep the first round.

– What time does your shift end?

Maud gave him a mocking look.

– Sir, I do not inform outsiders about the duration of my working day.

Flynn turned the page as if nothing had happened and glanced at her boss.

“Does Joe know that you gave him a false name?”

- No. And I would like everything to remain as it is. – Maud impatiently tapped her pen on her notepad. – Have you decided on your order?

Richard is throwing a grand party to celebrate his anniversary. Your father is turning sixty. Isn't this a great opportunity to meet your family? I want you to be there too.

This struck her as blatant self-confidence on his part. Who does he think he is!

– Why do you think that I would want to attend such a dubious event, where every second, or even the first, will enthusiastically describe the merits of my father, who, by the way, wanted to pay for my mother’s abortion?

And Richard again tried to give money. Now, many years later, when his unworthy past was revealed to the public, he wanted to bribe his own daughter. Oh, how she needed him, a little girl who did not always eat enough and needed her father’s love, care and protection! She prayed that he would suddenly appear like a good spirit.

Yes, just to be nearby.

Richard turned out to be so low that he did not even deign to meet her, his daughter, in person. Instead, he sent his nosy lawyer who was supposed to represent his interests.

“It seems to me that the only thing standing between you and your best life is pride,” Flynn suddenly said.

Of course, there are good reasons to behave this way. Her mother died and the only thing she had left was her pride. Maude leaned towards him so that the client at the next table could not hear her.

– Read lips: no.

He looked at her lips and moved closer to her.

Maud smelled coffee and aftershave. The intriguing aroma of citrus and cedar reminded her of the depths of a cool forest. Flynn was clean shaven, but she noticed fresh stubble showing through, a sign of masculine strength.

His gaze fell lower, into the neckline of the blouse, only two buttons were unbuttoned at the top, which could not expose her breasts, but it seemed to Maud that she was standing in front of him completely naked. The girl straightened up sharply.

Realizing that she was making a mistake, she still could not deny herself and now openly admired his mouth. Flynn smiled as if their mutual attraction was obvious. How did it happen that the man she hated had such delicious lips - full, sensual, inviting? Even the dimple on her chin drove her crazy.

Maud mentally told herself to forget about his attractiveness. It is quite obvious that abstinence is to blame. She argued with Marnie, and they refused to have intimate relations for the entire winter. True, Maud had her reasons. She didn't want to follow her mother's path of one bad date after another. Of course, sex is a common need, but she did not want to feel humiliated.

After all, is it really difficult to live without sex for just three months?

“The mystery of her charms” © “Tsentrpoligraf”, 2017

* * *

Chapter 1

– I will not serve a client at table nine!

Marnie looked at her guest, then back at Maude.

“He looks a lot like Flynn Karlan.” You know, that star lawyer who works with Richard and Elizabeth Ravensdale.

“Yes, that’s him,” Maud muttered through her teeth and began throwing knives into the dishwasher as if it were the face of a star lawyer. How the hell had he managed to find her again?

Marnie looked at her with eyes as round as saucers.

– How well do you know each other?

– Enough to know that he always drinks a double espresso with a glass of cold water.

Her friend's eyebrows went up.

– Are you sure you don’t want to?

- Absolutely. “She slammed the dishwasher door expressively. “I give it to you, enjoy it, it’s all yours.”

Marnie timidly moved to table nine, where Flynn was reading the latest newspaper. They exchanged a few words, and a flushed Marnie returned to the kitchen, guiltily shifting from foot to foot.

“He said if you don’t come to his table, he promises to call the manager.”

Maud sighed, gathered her strength, smiled and headed towards the table of the caustic visitor.

- Good afternoon. Are you ready to order?

His night-black eyes lingered only briefly on her face, and then dropped to the badge pinned to the ribbon of her apron.

- Katie? – His lips slowly stretched into a smile.

Maude ignored his glee. Whenever they were in close proximity, her nerves began to fray.

– Are you as usual, sir?

His eyes lit up.

“Only this time, please, in a cup.” The taste is not the same when coffee is poured onto your lap.

Well, no, it’s not that easy to piss her off!

– Should I bring something for coffee? – She looked at the notepad. - Croissant? Cake? Toast? Bacon and eggs? Cholesterol will reliably seal your blood vessels.

The edge of his mouth twitched slightly. Okay, let him keep the first round.

– What time does your shift end?

Maud gave him a mocking look.

– Sir, I do not inform outsiders about the duration of my working day.

Flynn turned the page as if nothing had happened and glanced at her boss.

“Does Joe know that you gave him a false name?”

- No. And I would like everything to remain as it is. – Maud impatiently tapped her pen on her notepad. – Have you decided on your order?

Richard is throwing a grand party to celebrate his anniversary. Your father is turning sixty. Isn't this a great opportunity to meet your family? I want you to be there too.

This struck her as blatant self-confidence on his part. Who does he think he is!

Yes, just to be nearby.

Richard turned out to be so low that he did not even deign to meet her, his daughter, in person. Instead, he sent his nosy lawyer who was supposed to represent his interests.

“It seems to me that the only thing standing between you and your best life is pride,” Flynn suddenly said.

Of course, there are good reasons to behave this way. Her mother died and the only thing she had left was her pride. Maude leaned towards him so that the client at the next table could not hear her.

– Read lips: no.

He looked at her lips and moved closer to her.

After all, is it really difficult to live without sex for just three months?

She can do it. By all means he can.

One of the visitors moved towards the exit and pushed Maude. She had to lean against Flynn's table. She felt his leg with her thigh, and the touch became almost burning.

- Espresso? Water? Ice? “She tapped her pen on the notepad expressively.

“He’s your only relative now,” Flynn noted.

Maud gave him an expressive look:

“A child from such a relative will want to run away to an orphanage.”

For a moment he became serious, and then the same lazy smile reigned on his face.

- So will you bring my coffee?

-Will you accept my refusal? – she retorted.

He looked at her lips again and his eyes turned even blacker. Did he feel just as strongly attracted to her? Maude felt desire throughout her body.

A new customer entered the cafe. This time the girl turned out to be much quicker. Now she turned her back to Flynn, but immediately realized her mistake when she felt his eyes roaming over her body. Turning around, she put on a serious face.

– What are you doing after dinner?

Maud put her hands on her hips:

- Don't know. But I certainly won’t go anywhere with you.

Flynn whistled:

– A worthy challenge. I like it.

Joe appeared nearby with a tray of coffee.

– Katie, are you working or flirting with clients?

- Sorry, Mr. Peruzzi. I didn’t immediately understand what exactly was going on.

– Scores for the seventh and tenth tables! – ignoring her explanation, Joe ordered. – Remove the second and eighth tables and set them again. I have a cafe, not a dating house.

Maud smiled tightly:

“There is not a single man here that I would like to go on a date with.”

- In that case, maybe you could bring me some coffee? – Flynn asked when Joe left.

She met his mocking gaze.

“I may lose this job too, but you won’t tell me what to do.”

Flynn leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. No, he's clearly in no hurry.

Maude thought that any more and her teeth would begin to crumble. It was terrible to act in that commercial, and even more terrible to find out that her enemy saw it.

- Coffee with poison?

He just grinned:

- With a piece of pie.

– What happened there just now? You're red like a tomato. – Marnie rushed in with questions. “I thought you were going to have a stroke.”

“I’ll definitely explode if I go back there again.” – Maud rolled her eyes. – How can such an unpleasant guy be successful with women? He may be handsome, yes, but he behaves ugly.

“But I think he’s simply irresistible.” – Marnie looked dreamily at Flynn, who after the altercation calmly returned to the newspaper.

Or he pretended to read. “He has such brown eyes, so dark and mysterious.”

Maud snorted again and, cutting off a huge piece of pie, generously topped it with whipped cream.

- Here. If it doesn't kill him, I give up.

“I think he’s in great shape.” Looks like he frequents the gym. Also, he's so tall. Did you notice how he ducked when he entered the hall? Did you see it?

- Please. – Maude placed a tray in front of Flynn with an order: coffee, water and pie.

- What, I’m not entitled to instruments?

– Who would have thought that you knew how to use cutlery!

Flynn laughed heartily.

“You really need to perform on stage.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

- Successfully?

Maude had no intention of sharing information with him about her upcoming West End audition. Albert Gurney's grandiose play "Sylvia". She simply may not get a second chance like this. This is her favorite work, deep down she felt that the role of Sylvia was created for her. Viewers around the world were incredibly fascinated by this character, a man who portrays a dog. If the audition is successful, this could be the first step towards the dizzying career of a theater actress that she so dreams of. In addition, she wants to get this role on her own, without any concessions because of her origin, which, in fact, is nothing special to be proud of. Maude didn't trust Flynn to share something like that with him. She didn’t want her star dad or any of his clique to open doors for her that she was about to open herself.

- I'll get the fork now. Are you sure you know how to use it?

He looked her straight in the eyes:

– I would like to meet you tonight.

- No. – Maud shook her head, turned around and left.

Flynn kept his eyes on her uniform-covered buttocks until the girl disappeared into the kitchen. He had always been intrigued by the element of stalking at the very beginning of an acquaintance, but with Maud Winwood it was obviously different.

From the very beginning, she went out of her way to show her hatred for him. She cursed the ground he walked on, wanted to poison the air he breathed.

But behind the deliberately aggressive behavior there was something else. He felt it. Something she would never admit, even to herself. Maude is attracted to him. Whenever they were in close proximity, her pupils would dilate like ink spreading on paper, and her eyes would be drawn to his lips like a magnet.

And Flynn felt the most devilish attraction to her. Sooner or later she will admit it to herself. Nevertheless, resistance makes her even more desirable, and he is really used to getting what he wants. Always got women he liked. Going on dates has become boring. He had completely forgotten the times when women rejected him or at least took time out to think before getting into his bed.

At least, none of those that appeared in his life after Claire broke off their engagement.

Flynn stopped short. Here we go again. He forbade himself to remember the time when he felt lonely and depressed. Then he really wanted to have a family, to tightly close the door to the past for the sake of a bright future.

Now he is a completely different person. He comes, he sees, he wins. He leaves and never calls back.

And with Maude Winwood he wanted to play.

He dreamed of her body, the heat of her breath on his skin and the way she screamed his name. Let her now play the role of the Snow Queen, nothing, very soon - oh, and he is confident in himself! – will melt and give in to him. Maude doesn’t know it yet, but in the near future they will be much closer to each other than she could have imagined.

Chapter 2

Maud cautiously entered the house to which the agency had sent her. It was located in the fashionable area of Notting Hill, and inside it looked like a real palace. This is what gave me no rest. She looked around the space, but saw no reason to worry.

Even the air in the house seemed to be saturated with prosperity - some obviously expensive essential oil. She dreamed of such comforts all the time she lived in Glasgow, in an area of council houses. She closed the door tightly, but a gust of cold wind managed to shake the crystal pendants of the chandelier that illuminated the hall.

Maud shivered slightly, it was very reminiscent of the ringing of the shackles of an ancient ghost from a fairy tale. She grinned. Who else is here, she is completely alone. The excitement ahead of the tryouts next week was making itself felt. Even now it did not leave her, disturbing her like a swarm of buzzing wasps. If everything worked out, she would no longer have to work in a cafe or look after such intimidatingly luxurious houses. When she starts going on stage regularly, she will be able to get her own home. He will rent an apartment, or maybe even buy a house and furnish it with the same taste.

Usually she was sent to much more modest housing, but there was nothing to complain about. Although Maud already had a presentiment of how difficult it would be to return to her miserable shack after such comforts. In any case, you first need to find a place to return to after the four weeks of the contract expire.

The heating was on in the house. Maud thought that it was very nice of the owners to leave it on, and besides, in addition to the house, she had to look after a cat named Monty. She actually prefers dogs, but, apparently, the cat also did not want to get to know her and was hiding somewhere in the depths of the house. It’s stupid to refuse such a pleasant job because of some prejudices about the cat family.

In addition, it is worth remembering that she is an actress and must successfully pretend to love anyone and anything.

Maude wandered thoughtfully through the rooms, looking for her pet, and at the same time was interested in photographs of the couple who owned this first-class home. The Carters, as far as she knew, were professional lawyers. Maud saw photographs of their children - a beautiful boy and girl, both of whom looked no more than five. She was instructed to look after the house and look after the cat while the family was visiting relatives in Australia.

It is difficult to look indifferently at the joyful faces looking at her from the photographs. Maud's childhood did not even remotely resemble the life of these happy children. First of all, she didn't have a father. That is, theoretically it existed, but that’s a different story. Secondly, her mother's face was rarely relaxed and happy, like the woman in the photographs. The mother could barely make ends meet. As for travel, their trips were limited to occasional visits to the Outer Hebrides, where their devout grandparents lived. The rest lasted no more than two or three days; after this time, the mother, tired of the lectures and accusations of her strict grandmother, packed her suitcase again, and they returned home.

Maude saw more photos as she walked into the living room. The windows and doors opened directly onto the garden. Even now, in January, when not a leaf was left on the thick canopy, this place was still an ideal playground for children who could breathe fresh air while their parents chatted with each other in the living room, listening to music and drinking wine. A car drove by. The light from her headlights caught the diamond scattering of raindrops on the glass outside.

Near the window there was an impressively sized table with even more photographs. One of them was made for Christmas. The whole family, happy and elegant, settled down in front of the Christmas tree. By the way, about the Christmas tree. Maude glanced around the tree. One of the tasks was to remove the decorations from the Christmas tree before the owners arrived. Maude returned to the photograph, which contained at least ten or twelve people. Is this really such a big and friendly family? The little ones are in front, the older ones are located behind. Maud squinted, not believing her eyes, and took the photo in her hands to take a closer look. What nonsense! What could he be doing here? Behind everyone, on the right hand of the owner of the house, stood a very, very tall man who was well known to her.

Maud pointedly carefully returned the photo to its place. Turning on her heels, she began pacing back and forth across the room.

What does Flynn Karlan have to do with this family?!

Now she seriously began to suspect something. She was immediately alarmed that the owners of the house did not conduct a personal interview with her. This is strange, because they left their cat in her care, and sometimes owners treat their cats or dogs much more carefully than their own children. The manager said she was recommended. Who?

Maud became suspicious of Flynn. The whole thing literally reeked of his expensive cologne.

What is he trying to achieve?

Maud made her position very clear: under no circumstances should she cross the threshold of her father’s house.

She doesn't need his last name, money, influence. She won't accept anything from him.

Despite weeks of press harassment, she never said a word to them. She tried to stay as quiet as the water below the grass, so that she would finally be left alone. Every time she went out, Maude tried to look discreet. She hid her hair under a hat and her face behind wide sunglasses. Of course, sunglasses in winter were even more eccentric, but at least it made her feel calmer. To limit interference from her father or Flynn, Maude even signed up for the audition under an assumed name. She could not do otherwise. If anyone even finds out that Richard Ravensdale's illegitimate daughter Maud Winwood came to the audition, she could get the role for completely different reasons. Future colleagues will decide in advance that she is a mediocrity who made her way onto the stage thanks to a high-profile story. Maud wanted to get this role only because she considered herself talented. She wants nothing to do with the man who didn't want her to be born.

What's going on in the minds of the rich? Do they seriously believe that they can get rid of you first and then return you by paying the required amount?

Why won't they just leave her alone?

Of course, she wanted to see Miranda. After all, half-sister. It's unusual to learn that she could have such a large family. Besides Miranda, she has two twin brothers. Just think, Miranda is only two months older than her. What baseness on the part of the father! Richard still continued to see her mother after begging forgiveness from his legal wife Elizabeth Albertini.

Despite missing some members of the Ravensdale family, Maud still refused to make contact. Besides, how does she know how they feel about her? While everyone who knew her father's family pushed her away.

No, Maud did not want her unofficial powerful and wealthy family to interfere in her affairs now. She will achieve everything on her own, it has always been that way. In this regard, participation in the fate of a sexy lawyer who hunts her down with a tenacity worthy of better use is also extremely undesirable.

What do Flynn and the Carter family have in common? Did he really go to the same college as the father of the family? Or are they colleagues? Was this really planned? They may meet again, and he will try to seduce her, and then completely subjugate her to his will.

Never! Nothing will work out for him! Flynn Karlan is exactly the type of man she avoids—too handsome, too rich, and too confident.

Hearing the meow, Maud turned around and saw a huge black Persian walking around the house as if it belonged to him. In essence, this is how it is.

- Well, hello, kitty. “She knelt down next to him. – We will live together for some time. I hope you don't mind?

The animal only blinked melancholy and jumped away from the outstretched hand.

- Well, okay. – Maud straightened up and brushed off her knees. - In that case, humble yourself and be a good girl.

The cat raised his tail with the same disdain and walked away with dignity. Maude rolled her eyes at his arrogance. That is why she prefers dogs, which, by their nature, are completely devoid of snobbery.

An hour later Maud returned, feeling that she could not take another step, but was forced to leave the house again to do some shopping. Even though the owners left plenty of food for the cat and treats for the guest, she prefers to buy her own food. Of course, you can order pizza or Chinese food, but your credit card balance is still zero after all the expenses that followed the death of your mother. When Maude first met Flynn and he offered a tidy sum to meet her father, she was filled with indignation. She's too proud to accept the money.

No, her location cannot be bought.

If she expected to benefit, Maud could write to any magazine, offering to buy interviews and photographs. And if she wanted to join the family, she would come to her father herself. But Maud felt nothing but hatred for the man for the way he had treated her mother. Even though his blood flows in her veins, she will never be able to step over herself. Where was he when their already difficult situation was worsened by their mother’s illness? She strained herself, raised her daughter alone, and did not receive any help from her father. The money that Richard gave to his mother ran out before Maud was one year old. They spent most of her childhood in near poverty.

She couldn't forget that time. My mother changed jobs after jobs. She quit or was fired. She had a difficult character. She quickly lit up, anticipating a new position, but then just as quickly went out and became indifferent. Maud felt powerless to change anything. The mother's depression lasted for weeks, then enlightenment came and everything started all over again.

As a child, Maud promised herself that she would do everything possible to make their lives easier. I thought that if everything worked out, my mother would become the person she dreamed of.

But, unfortunately, nothing came of it. Now the mother is no longer alive. Of course, by the time she was diagnosed with cancer, their living conditions had improved somewhat, but not enough to reconcile Maud with her biological father.

Yes, she was angry. Yes, it hurt that he felt such monstrous indifference to their lives. I simply crossed them out of my life.

Sighing heavily, Maud was convinced that she would not be able to park in front of the house. Almost everything was occupied by the owners' large, expensive cars. Nevertheless, she decided to try again. The cars kept arriving: the owners were returning home. Someone honked at her with displeasure. Maude got nervous and was about to lower the window, making an obscene gesture to the impudent person on the right, but he got out of the car.

Maude panicked. Was he so enraged that he would attack her? She'd already seen the headlines: "Promising young actress beaten to death by erratic driver." This news will quickly spread around the world, just like the recorded video. Frightening urban legends will begin to be made about her. Then, finally, she will gain the much-desired fame, which will no longer be of any use.

She was about to meet the offender face to face, but, contrary to expectations, the man smiled. Smiled!

-What the hell are you doing here? Oh, no, not interesting. “She started to lift the glass.

Flynn put his hand on him - he had to stop.

– Do you want me to park your car?

Their gazes met. His eyes sparkled mysteriously. He was so close that she noticed the slight stubble on his impeccably shaven face. A few strands of hair, usually combed smoothly back, fell onto his forehead. This was enough to give Maud a heart attack.

- Nothing like this! I won't let you drive my car! “She almost shouted it in his face.

Admittedly, Maud had difficulty parking back, especially in heavy traffic. She was able to pass her license only on the third try.

The corners of his lips turned up slightly.

- OK then.

Maude pressed her lips tightly together. Irritated beeps sounded from behind again. What a humiliation! Turning his back to her, Flynn waved to the drivers. She could touch his coat, it looked like pure cashmere, but what does she know about it. The girl grabbed the steering wheel even tighter and raised her eyes to the heavens. What did she do wrong? Why did this particular person manage to see her in such unfavorable circumstances?

He turned and patted the roof of her car:

- Now you can. Be careful, my car is behind you.

She blinked.

- Well, yes. We are neighbours. Didn't I say?

He smiled again. Oh, we'll have to deflate his tires! Nothing could give her greater pleasure.

After parking, Maud got out of the car, trying not to notice how poor her car looked, squeezed between two expensive models.

She walked up to Flynn, dusting off her coat.

– Answer one question: do you have anything to do with my employment?

“My neighbors were looking for a reliable person who could look after their house. Your name somehow came to mind.

- But you don’t know anything about me!

“You are mistaken, Miss Winwood.” I know enough about you.

- For example?

- For example, Richard.

- What else?

- Why don't you want to give him a chance?

- I'm confused. When we first met, he tried to buy my silence, which I had no intention of breaking. Now he insists that I meet him. I wonder what will happen tomorrow?

Flynn just shrugged his broad shoulders. Maude began to wonder how he had achieved this form. Gym? Rowing? Black magic?

– He changed his mind. Wants to correct mistakes. He is sorry that things turned out this way for you and your mother.

Maud burst into a fit of hysterical laughter. Her nerves were on edge.

– Everything turned out this way?! It's all his fault! He wanted mom to have an abortion! He treated her like a pig. I only became nervous because of the hype in the newspapers. That’s why he’s worried, because his dirty secret has been revealed. I am sure that what is happening now is the strategy of his PR man. He's just afraid that people will find out what he really is like.

“But other family members also want to meet you.” They are not guilty of anything either before your mother or before you.

She wanted this too, but resisted. The only thing that stopped me was that it would play into the hands of Richard and that henchman of his in an expensive suit.

- Really? And even his wife Elizabeth? I somehow doubt that she can’t wait to take me into a warm family embrace.

“She might change her mind if you showed your best side.”

Maud gave him a dark look.

– I thought they were getting a divorce.

“Divorce will cost them too much.”

- What do you care?

“This family is already much more than just clients for me. The Ravensdales are outstanding people. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get out of the rain.

She only now noticed that she was soaked to the skin. It's scary to imagine who she looks like. But who cares what this man thinks. She's out of his league anyway. Her palms clenched into fists.

– Explain what you are trying to achieve by placing me next door?

His face was unreadable.

– If you are not satisfied with something, just call the agency.

Maude would definitely have done so if it weren’t for the money. Her family pays her twice as much. The condition is that every evening she must go on video chat so that they can communicate with the cat. Funny! We can only hope that Monty will allow her to take him in her arms.

– I never give in to difficulties.

- However, so do I. – Winking goodbye, he disappeared into his house.

Flynn leisurely sipped whiskey in the warm living room, looking through a message from a client. A dog named Spark snored noisily on the carpet at his feet. The man was distracted again and again, remembering his last conversation with Maud Winwood. Of course, it didn't look like small talk. She carried herself well, a real fighter.

He saw her for the first time last October and hasn't forgotten her since. Even if Richard had ordered to interrupt any negotiations with her, Flynn would have continued to pursue her, but now for his own purposes.