"Shanna Swendson - Damsel under Stress" - читать интересную книгу автора (Swendson Shanna)

another eccentric New Yorker. A star-topped wand lying on the table in front of her was yet another
clue. None of the other magical folk I knew used wands. Anyone else would surely have made the same
assumption, if they saw what I saw.

I almost felt sorry for whoever her Cinderella was because she didnтАЩt exactly look like the
top-of-the-line fairy godmother. Unlike most of the fairies I knew, she was squat and round, but I
couldnтАЩt tell if that was flesh or if it was her clothes. She looked like instead of taking off the previous
dayтАЩs clothes and putting on something new each morning, she just put on a new outfit on top of the old
oneтАФand sheтАЩd been doing that for centuries. In all the layers of clothing I caught glimpses of calico,
tulle, patchwork, satin, and velvet. The top layer was old, dusty rose velvet, worn threadbare in places.
A rusty tiara missing a few stones sat haphazardly on top of her gray sausage curls, and one of her fairy
wings was bent.

Of course, no one in the coffee shop seemed to notice that there was anyone odd among them, and it
wasnтАЩt simply because they were all distracted by their newspapers and conversations or because the
caffeine hadnтАЩt yet made it to their brains. IтАЩm immune to magic, so the spell she used to hide her magical
appearance didnтАЩt work on me. I saw what was really there, while I was sure the rest of the patrons
probably saw only an elderly woman wearing a tweed suit and sensible shoes.

But as I said, it wasnтАЩt any of my business. I was about five minutes early because I knew Owen was
relentlessly punctual and I was sadly overeager, but I figured I could use the time to stake out a table.
Unfortunately, the shop was crowded, and there werenтАЩt that many tables to begin with. I lingered near
the doorway, waiting either for Owen to show up or for someone to vacate a table.

тАЬYoo hoo! Katie!тАЭ I turned when I heard my name and saw the fairy godmother waving at me. I
waved back halfheartedly, and she pointed her wand at the empty seat across from her. With a shrug, I
went over and took the seat. There was always a chance I could talk her into leaving, and then I would
have managed to snag a table before Owen got there. тАЬOh good, youтАЩre right on time,тАЭ she said as I sat
down.

тАЬOn time for what?тАЭ I asked.

тАЬOur meeting, of course.тАЭ She gave a tinkling little laugh. тАЬBut silly me, I havenтАЩt introduced myself.
IтАЩm Ethelinda, your fairy godmother. IтАЩll be managing your case, helping you find true love.тАЭ

тАЬThere must have been some kind of mix-up then. I donтАЩt need any help right now. You would have
really come in handy for the past ten years, but now things are finally working out for me.тАЭ

She waved her star-topped wand over the table and an elaborately decorated china tea set appeared.
As she poured two cups and dropped in lumps of sugar, she said, тАЬWe donтАЩt make mistakes. You
probably need more help than you think, and thatтАЩs why I was sent your way. Milk or lemon?тАЭ

тАЬMilk, please. But IтАЩm actually meeting someone for a date here in a minute or two. So, you see, I
donтАЩt need help right now, for probably the first time in my life. IтАЩve found Prince Charming, heтАЩs found
me, and allтАЩs right with the world.тАЭ

Frowning, she waved her wand again, and a battered, dog-eared book appeared on the table. She
took the pair of spectacles that hung on a cord around her neck and brought them up to rest on her nose.
One of the earpieces was missing, so they hung lopsided on her face. тАЬHmmm,тАЭ she murmured as she
flipped through the book. тАЬOh, yes, I see what you mean. I havenтАЩt seen such a sad case in a very long