Mlle Bourienne was taken in by the Bolkonsky family as a penniless orphan and has lived ever since on the old Prince's remote country estate as a companion for his daughter Marya. In many ways they are an unlikely fit – where Marya is shy and devout, Mlle Bourienne is girlish and eager to socialise, with a flirtatious streak that soon catches the attention of the men in her life.
