"David Drake - RCN 04 - Glory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

falling out with your father when you joined the navy, I heard?"

"I haven't spoken to my father in some years, that's true," Daniel said, letting his eyes rise as if to

view the frescos of the high ceiling. Cherubs were teasing lions in various fashions in each panel, while

between the paintings were stucco moldings of furious giants straining to burst through the frames they

supported. He supposed the scenes were allegorical; another way of saying they were without interest to

him. "I wonder if there's something to dr--"

"Do let me be your guide, Lieutenant," Mistress Jacopus said, taking his right arm in both hands;

gently, but in a proprietary fashion nonetheless. "I have so many questions to ask you about your

medals!"

The Jacopus family was famous for wealth and a determined neutrality in the Republic's

rough-and-tumble--sometimes very rough--politics. Daniel had heard that one member of the family was

the most famous hostess in Xenos; he didn't doubt that he'd just met her.

The orchestra was playing a hornpipe, but it was a restrained thing compared to what went by

the same name in the spacers' bars around Harbor Three--or any other RCN liberty port. Daniel had

spent his time in those bars when he was a midshipman, an officer by courtesy but not yet commissioned.

Since fame had brought him invitations to dos like this one, he'd found little to regret about no longer

being poor and obscure. The liquor was better and the women were much prettier. He'd never had much

interest in dancing anyway.

Mistress Jacopus led him toward the refreshment table which was set in a corner, in front of

double doors onto a parterre. Servants passed in and out, exchanging full trays and bottles to replace the

those that had been browsed and drunk empty.

Jacopus was taking him by the long route, however, and at each step she nodded graciously and
smiled to another guest. Occasionally she murmured a first name--"Dear Janni...,"--or title--"Senator,

how nice,"--as they passed, savoring the looks of respect and--from some of the women--fury.

"I hope you don't mind me showing off my trophy, Lieutenant," she said in his ear as though