"Shadow Game" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feehan Christine)

ornate banister, her shoes falling to the ground as she used both hands to
steady herself, it took her a moment to register that there was no earthquake,
but the motion was very much as if she were standing on a boat as it was riding
over the waves in the ocean. She heard the lapping of the water against wood, a
hollow sound that echoed through her mind. The vision was so strong, Lily could
smell the sea air, feel the spray of salt water misting her face.
Her stomach clenched in reaction. Lily's fingers tightened until her knuckles
turned white. Again she felt the rocking of the waves. She lifted her face to
the darkening sky and saw the ominous clouds whirling faster over her head,
spinning wildly until only the center was clear and dark and moving
relentlessly, searching, searching. Lily jerked her hands from the banister and
wrenched open the kitchen door. Staggering inside, she slammed the door and
leaned against the wall, her breath coming in hard gasps. She closed her eyes
and drew the air of her home, her sanctuary, into her lungs. She was safe inside
the thick walls. Safe, as long as she didn't fall asleep.
The kitchen smelled of fresh-baked bread. Everywhere she looked there were
gleaming tiles and wide-open spaces. Home. Lily patted the door with her palm.
"Rosa, it smells wonderful in here. Did you cook dinner?"
The short, buxom woman spun around, a large chopping knife in one hand, a carrot
in the other. Her dark eyes widened in surprise. "Miss Lily! You nearly gave me
a heart attack. Why didn't you come through the front door like you're supposed
to?"
Lily laughed because it was normal for Rosa to scold her and she needed
normalcy. "Why am I supposed to come through the front door?"
"What good is a front door if no one ever uses it?" Rosa complained. Her gaze
took in Lily's pale face, her haunted eyes, and then traveled down to Lily's
bare feet and shredded nylons. "What in the world have you done now? And where
are your shoes?"
Lily gestured vaguely toward the door. "Has my father called yet? He was
supposed to meet me for dinner at Antonio's but he didn't show up. I waited an
hour and a half but he must have forgotten."
Rosa frowned. As always there was only acceptance in Lily's voice, a gentle
amusement that her father had once more forgotten an appointment with his
daughter. Rosa wanted to box Dr. Whitney's ears for him. "That man. No, he
didn't call. Did you eat? You're getting skinny, Lily, like a boy."
"I'm only skinny in places, Rosa," Lily contradicted. When Rosa glared she
shrugged hastily. "I ate all their breadЧit was fresh-baked, but not nearly as
good as yours."
"I'm fixing you a plate of fresh vegetables and insist you eat it!"
Lily smiled at her. "Sounds good to me." She hoisted herself onto the
countertop, ignoring Rosa's frown. "Rosa?" She tapped out a small nervous rhythm
with her fingernail. "I found out the most disturbing thing about myself today."
Rosa turned quickly back to her. "Disturbing?"
"All this time I've been around men dressed in suits and ties, good-looking,
intelligent men with a portfolio my father would admire, but I've never once
been attracted to them. I don't think I even noticed them."
Rosa broke out into a smile. "AhЕ you met someone. I've always hoped you'd get
your nose out of your books long enough to meet someone."
"I didn't exactly meet him," Lily hedged. The last thing she needed was for the
housekeeper to repeat her foolish confidences to her father. He'd pull her off