"Esther M. Friesner - Chicks 02 - Did You Say Chicks" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friesner Esther M)

he's not sureтАж he says he's never seen a case like this before." She glared at her belly, and then at them.
"This one must be over forty years oldтАФjust look at this skin!тАФand it has all the muscle tone of mud.
How am I supposed to earn a living with this? I can't even do my usual warm-up exercises. Do you have
somethingтАФanythingтАФwhich will tone me up?"

Mirabel felt a twinge of sympathy. This was no spoiled court lady, but a hard-working woman. "I'm sure
we can help," she said. "But I don't know about the age partтАж"

"I don't expect miracles," Dorcas said. "I just want something to work with, so I don't lose money while
I'm hunting for the trollop who did this to me."

"You have no idea?"

"NoтАж I thought of that red-headed slut down at the Brass Bottom CafeтАж you know, the one who
thinks she can danceтАж" Mirabel nodded; she didn't feel it was the time to mention that the lissome
redhead was reputed to perform the famous Gypsy dance "In Your Hat" even better than Dorcas. "But,"
Dorcas went on, with an air of someone being fairer than necessary, "she's in better shape than this." She
patted the offending belly. "If anything, she's too thin. No, I'll be looking for someone whose skirts are
too loose." She sighed. "SoтАФwhen's class? And is there any possibility of getting private lessons. I hate
to advertise my problemтАж"

"Private lessons?тАФ" Mirabel was about to explain that since their classes had disappeared, all lessons
were private, when Blanche interrupted.

"There's a ten percent surcharge for private lessons, DorcasтАж"

"That's all right," Dorcas said.

"But I was going to say, since you're a working woman, like us, we'll waive that fee. It's mostly for the
rich ladies who are looking for a way out of the work. And we could schedule youтАФ" She made a
pretense of going through the scrolls. "Well, as a matter of fact, I could just fit you in now, if that's
convenient. Or two hours after first bell tomorrow, if not."

"Thanks, ladies," Dorcas said. "Soon begun, soon done."



At the end of the table, Krystal stirred. "Mirabel, you don't supposeтАФ?"
 "Those court ladies!" Mirabel said, slamming her fist on the table. "That would be just like them!" Lazy,
hated sweating and grunting for it, but wanted svelte bodies anyway. They would think of stealing, and if
they had found a black plastic wizardтАж

"I wonder if it's happened to anyone else," Krystal said. "There aren't enough exotic dancers to supply
flat tummies and perky breasts and slender thighs and smooth haunches andтАж"

"Allright, Krystal. I get the point." Mirabel closed her eyes, trying to think how many court ladies she'd
seen at the dance with markedly better figures. Had any of the other dancers been robbed? "I'm going to
check on some things," she said. "You stay here and let Blanche know what we came up with."

Out on the street, she headed for the Brass Bottom Cafe, and stopped short outside. For the past