"Edghill,.Rosemary.-.Empty.Crown.Trilogy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edghill Rosemary)

signet ring. Jane was sitting in the chair Ruth had occupied, back
perfectly straight (rather as if she were auditioning for a role as one
of the better class of Egyptian hieratic statues) while Naomi, draped
over the couch, filled her in on the evening's events with swooping
theatrical gestures.

Melior brushed past Ruth and walked out to join Philip and Michael.

Jane looked up as he approached, face carefully neutral, and Ruth was
seized by a sudden, heart-clutching, irrational panic-a panic that
somehow this was the last good moment they would all have together,
that, irrespective of normal fears of madmen and con artists, somehow
an evil angel was watching over everyone here, marking them for his
own.

Honestly, Ruth, you'd think the lights were going out all over Europe
or something. It's late, that's all.

Shrugging her shoulders at her own silliness, Ruth walked over to the
table.

"Oh, good," Naomi said, "Michael, go get another plate, there's a good
lad, and then we can cut the cake and decide what we're going to do
with Ro, here." Naomi, unflappably competent.

"Melior is my name," Melior corrected her gently. "My Line is
Rohannan."

"Chinese," Jane said cryptically.

Another plate was brought, and another glass, and the
more-chocolate-than-thou cake was scrupulously divided into six
enormous pieceswhich might not go with red wine in anybody else's
opinion, but Ruth found nothing to complain of.

"What were you doing out so late, Jane?" Naomi asked around a mouthful
of cake.

"Whatever it was, you shouldn't do it." Michael said firmly. "And
don't the dorms have curfews? You could get mugged, you know."

Jane elevated one shoulder, face studiously blank. It didn't matter
what you said to Jane: if she listened, it was because she already
intended to do what you were telling her anyway; if she did not have
such an intention, it was a waste of time. Ruth had found that out a
long time ago; she saved her breath.

"I was mugged," Melior offered with wary pride. "And I a blooded
warrior of Line Rohannan."