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

"Ah," he said, eyes on the bowl. "Probably more than I deserve."

"You're lucky you weren't stabbed," Ruth said. The words came out more
harshly than she intended. She skirted around him and put the bowl on
the table.

Now that he'd removed his cloak, Ruth could see him better. Melior
looked gaudily medieval in red tunic and white undertunic and high
leather boots, but slender rather than broad; a dancer's body. He
picked up the towel full of ice and pressed it gingerly to his jaw.

"I'll get the tea," Ruth said, and fled.

Back in the safety of her kitchen-Oh, Ruth, this is NOT a good
idea-Ruth concentrated on providing tea. Besides, she was safe, Naomi
would be home soon, and Naomi was authentically dangerous with hockey
stick or frying pan.

And Melior was hurt. You couldn't spend your entire life not helping
people out of stark raving cowardice But was it cowardice or common
sense?

Tea. Probably-still-okay milk and Demerara sugar. Big stoneware
mugs.

The kitchen supplies were Naomi's: if Ruth was sensible, Naomi was
competent. Perhaps Naomi and Michael should get together and beget a
master race of tidiers; perfect secretaries and chiefs of staff.

Ruth found half a Zabar's cake and sliced it. She puttered desperately
in the kitchen, unwilling to go back to the living room and Cope once
more.

Who was he? What did he want? How much of her scant time, money, and
emotional energy was he going to need-and how guilty would she feel if
she didn't provide them?

The teakettle shrilled. Ruth dumped loose Russian Caravan into the pot
and poured water over it. Anonymous white stoneware, safe to drop.

But that meant the tray was loaded and the Minotaur must be faced.

Ruth went back into the living room.

Melior was sitting at the table by the window now-the one she and Naomi
used both as dining table and desk-by-courtesy. His skin was reddened
from the application of ice packs, but he looked better. He looked up
as she entered with the tray, and not the shadow of a suspicion crossed
his face that he should leap across the room and take the tray from