"Lee Edgar - Princess 04 - Checkmate for a Princess" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edgar Lee)

they should arrive there tomorrow. Then we should have more news.'
'Are you in radio contact with them?'
'Some of the time. Atmospherics are not good until the heavy cloud cover
disperses from over central France.'
'What is the plan?'
'Our initial brief was simply to observe and report back. The Admiral was
given instructions as to what to do in the case of hostilities and he reacted
accordingly, as you know. When the fleet was attacked by the Consortium, he
launched the aircraft which attacked the main rebel bases.'
'How sure are you that all the rebels are now dead and gone?'
'As sure as we can be.' He paused. 'What will you do now? All of you?'
'I don't know. Return to England, I suppose. Jim and Gill have... had... homes
there and so did I. I don't know what my brother will do. He might return to
England or stay in France with Marianne.'
'And Monsieur Dubois?'
'Philippe? He was attached to the British Embassy in London. He will probably
want to stay in France to help to supervise the return to normality, if such a
thing is possible.'
He placed his hand lightly upon her arm. 'I regret that France will never be
the same, Miss Blackman.'
'No,' she said sadly. 'I don't suppose it will.'
~~~~~
WEDNESDAY 11th AUGUST - 1600 hrs.
Suzette wandered aimlessly through the damaged shell that had been her
mother's home in the valley close to Sor├иde. For many years, the family had
lived in the valley since her father had met the fair-haired French girl,
Juliette de Bosvile, who had become his wife. They had bought the villa and
renovated it before her mother had died.
She looked around sadly at the damage the Consortium had inflicted on the
house in their attempts to dispose of her. Daylight could be seen through the
roof where the cannon shells from the helicopter had hit. Signs of fire were
everywhere as was the smell of charcoal as the bed was burnt and the mirror
had been smashed from its position above the hearth.
Perhaps, in time, something could be done to put right the damage inflicted
but not now, there were more important issues at stake. She eventually found
what she had been looking for and, with a last look round, walked through the
gap where the patio doors had been and met Marianne as she stood beside the
pool with Roger and Philippe.
'Have you got everything you wanted?' asked Roger cheerfully.
'I think so,' she said non-commitally. 'I shall be glad to get out of these
clothes at last. If you can find anything that might be useful, take it.'
'Thanks,' said her brother. 'But Philippe and I raided a shop in Arg├иles this
morning and got all the clothes we need.'
'Isn't that looting?'
'Not when everyone died from the fallout. Legally, there is no owner any
more.'
'I got some of my things from home,' said Marianne quickly, as if on the
defensive.
'Then we are ready?'
Roger nodded and Philippe watched thoughtfully as Suzette opened the door of