"Esther M. Friesner - Chicks 04 - The Chick Is In The Mail" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friesner Esther M)

"My dear! A new dress after all?"

"In a manner of speaking." Mirabel let the shawl drop, and Primula blinked.

"Is it that low in back?"

Mirabel twirled, to a chorus of wolf whistles.

"Well," Primula said. "I must say I'm surprised. I thought you'd be wearing that old green gown forever."

Mirabel ignored this. "Did you leave the sergeants off the list on purpose?"

"The list?"

"Invitations. Sergeant Gorse didn't get one. Or Sergeants Covet, Biersley, Dogwood, Ellis, and Slays.
They're all outsideтАФthey were sure you'dmeant to invite themтАФbut little Sarajane at the door wouldn't
let them in, or call you."

"But of course they're invited," Primula said. "Though I did think that tropical fruit surprise trick wasn't
funny. Now who was it, who should have had their names . . . ?" She closed her eyes, evidently trying to
remember. Mirabel touched her arm.

"Thing is, they're out there in the cold now. Don't you want to let them in?"

"Oh. Of course." She bustled away. Mirabel let the shawl drop again and looked around for people she
knew. An eye-patched pirate with a red beard and moustache appeared in front of her, his visible eye
twinkling.

"My dear, I am tempted to live up to my costume and carry you away into tropical captivityтАФyou are
delectable."

She didn't recognize his accent, or his face, but what did that matter? "Sirrah, I fear you admire only my
jewels, and not my faceтАФ"
"T'would be useless to deny the beauty of your jewels, but youтАФ" His eye raked her up and down, and
his hand stroked his moustache. "You are the pearl beyond price, compared to which your emeralds are
mere baubles of colored glass."

Mirabel blinked. With that glib tongue, he ought to be a horse trader, but she knew all the horse traders
in town. "I fear, sir, I know you not."

"I'm Harald Redbeard," he said.

"I wrote your invitation," Mirabel said. "I've been wondering who you are. Shall we dance?"

"With a will," he said, and offered his arm.

In the course of the first two dances, Mirabel discovered that Harald suited her perfectly as a dance
partner. Tireless, nimble, quick-witted, familiar with all the standard dance patterns and variations . . .
and with unflagging appreciation of her charms, which he described in terms that made her fantasize
about the latter half of the ball.