"Kelley Eskridge - Strings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eskridge Kelly)

тАЬPerhaps youтАЩd like a moment to yourself before rehearsal?тАЭ The other
womanтАЩs voice was carefully neutral. Strad wanted to break something over her
lowered head.

тАЬNo, I would not,тАЭ she said, very precisely. тАЬWhat I would like is a few
moments with my music and a full orchestra, if that can be arranged sometime
before opening night.тАЭ

The Conductor flushed. тАЬMy apologies, Stradivarius.тАЭ

тАЬWell, letтАЩs get on with it,тАЭ G said crossly.

She did not get to speak with the Piano until the next day. She sat on the
loading dock at the back of the hall during the midday break, enjoying the sun and
the solitude. She was far enough from the street that no mechanical noises reached
her: she heard only the creak of the metal loading door in the breeze, the muffled,
brassy warble of trumpet scales, the hissing wind in the tall grass of the empty lot
behind the building. The sun was warm and red on her closed eyelids. A cricket
began to fiddle close by.

тАЬI thought you might like some tea.тАЭ

The cricket stopped in mid-phrase. She felt suddenly angry at the endless
stream of infuriating and intrusive courtesies that were offered to the Strad.
Nevertheless she smiled in the general direction of the voice. тАЬYouтАЩre very kind,тАЭ she
said. She kept her eyes closed and hoped whoever it was would put down the tea
and go away.

тАЬWell, no, IтАЩm not. I just didnтАЩt know how else to get to talk to you.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm available to any musician. ItтАЩs part of being the Strad; everyone knows
that. Please donтАЩt feel shy.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm not shy. I just thought you might not want to be seen talking to me,
considering everything.тАЭ

Strad opened her eyes and sat up straight. тАЬOh. ItтАЩs you. I didnтАЩt
realizeтАжтАЬHe stepped back. тАЬNo, please donтАЩt go,тАЭ she said quickly, and put one
hand out. тАЬPlease. IтАЩd like to talk to you.тАЭ He came back slowly, tall, dark,
close-cropped hair, those beautiful hands. He held two mugs that steamed almost
imperceptibly.

тАЬSit down.тАЭ

He handed her a cup and sat next to her on the edge of the loading dock.
curling into a half-lotus, tea cradled in his lap. She took a sip and tasted hot
cinnamon, orange, bright spices.

тАЬCan I talk to you?тАЭ he said.