"Sharon Green - Lady Blade, Lord Fighter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

"Brown-haired and gray-eyed, lithe and young," the woman murmured, as though hearing the description
for the very first time. "And named Sofaltis! It's just barely possible, I suppose, stranger things have
happenedтАФ If it is true, I'd love to be there. . . ."

The woman's eyes lost their distracted look as they sharpened on Timper again with renewed amusement,
and then she grew somewhat more brisk.

"It's possible one of the Blades of the Silver Gleaming will be able to-direct you to this lady of yours," she
said, reaching for a small, delicate bell which stood at the comer of the desk to her right. "I'll have
someone take you to them, but I warn you now; if you cause any sort of ruckus among any of the guests,
the mistress' rules will see you put out of the house at once, whether or not you've managed to question
anyone. Have I made myself clear?"

"ButтАФI thought you were the mistress of this house," Timper blurted, now entirely at a loss. "Those
servantsтАФ they saidтАФand they brought me here to this roomтАФ"

' "They thought you were looking for special attention from someone with standing," the woman
answered as she rang the bell, this time unable to keep the smile from her face. "There are three of us who
spare the mistress that sort ofтАФwearying interview, four when business gets unusually brisk. You would
be surprised how many nobles and upper class merchants insist on dealing with no one butтАФ Ah,
Rinson."

The servant who had led Timper to that room appeared even before the crystal voice of the bell died
away, giving the young courier no further opportunity for asking questions. Timper felt bewildered and
because of that was extremely annoyed, but the presence of the very large servant helped him keep firmly

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in mind the tenet that no true gentleman was ever rude to a woman.

"Rinson, please show this gentleman to the area of the house where the Blades of the Silver Gleaming are
taking their ease," the woman directed, her tone entirely neutral. "Specifically, I would say, the Fist of
Soft and Gentle. Are you acquainted with the Blades of that Fist?"

14

Sharoa Green

"Of course, Madam," the servant said, his bow tinged more with curiosity than propriety. "If you will
follow me, sir?"

Timper had very little choice concerning the following, but his annoyance was growing in leaps and
bounds, and he was beginning to regret not having surrendered his cloak when he might have. Not only
had the house grown extremely warm, but the output of anger was adding itself to the discomfort of wool.
What in Home's name might the Fist of Soft and Gentle be? Hardly the general name of something called
a Fist, but just as unlikely a sobriquet for a Blade of a Fist. The young man stomped out of the room at the
servant's gesture, deliberately refraining from bowing to the woman whose company he departed. Lovely
she might be, but her loveliness had diminished quickly with the increase of her amusement.