"Sharon Green - [ebel 01 - Rebel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

got to choose.тАЭ
тАЬBut thatтАЩs not the way the world works,тАЭ her father pointed out - again. тАЭIn this world men get to
choose their brides, but thatтАЩs not the grand freedom for all men that you seem to consider it. The princes
will have only six women to choose among, and they will have to marry one of the six. The three women
not chosen will simply be sent home again, to resume their lives where those lives were interrupted.тАЭ
тАЬWhich means it would be foolish for me to waste time going there,тАЭ Adair pointed out. тАЬI havenтАЩt seen
the kingтАЩs sons much since we were all children, but they donтАЩt like me any more than I like them. Since
itтАЩs already established that I wonтАЩt be chosen, why donтАЩt I just - тАЬ
тАЬAdair, close your mouth and listen to me,тАЭ her father interrupted. тАЬIтАЩll admit I gave you your own way
much too often while you were growing up, but this is one time you canтАЩt have your own way. If I had
another daughter IтАЩd send her instead, but I donтАЩt have another daughter so youтАЩre the one who has to
go. And if youтАЩre so convinced you wonтАЩt be chosen, what have you got to lose?тАЭ
тАЬTime and my sanity,тАЭ Adair stated. тАЬI hate all the rigmarole involved with royalty and nobility, and I see
no reason for subjecting myself to any more of it.тАЭ
тАЬJust because you donтАЩt see a reason doesnтАЩt mean there isnтАЩt one,тАЭ her father countered, a faint gleam
now in his eyes. тАЬIf you stop this nonsense of trying to run away and start to behave yourself, IтАЩm
prepared to offer an тАж incentive. Since you expect to go back to searching for what you think youтАЩll
find, wonтАЩt the search go easier with lots of gold in your pouch? IтАЩm even willing to include a couple of
guardsmen in the deal, men who will take orders from no one but you. I will, however, first require the
promise that if you donтАЩt find what you think you will, youтАЩll turn around and come straight back home.
So what do you say?тАЭ
Adair was too surprised to say anything for a moment. She hadnтАЩt been able to put together all that much
gold and silver before leaving, but hadnтАЩt let herself wonder just how long the amount would last. SheтАЩd
had no choice about leaving right away, so sheтАЩd decided that the amount would have to be enough. And
traveling all alone was taking a riskтАж
тАЬUntil right this minute I never thought much of politics and what people are willing to do to play the
game,тАЭ Adair finally said with a shake of her own head. тАЬI want the gold, but IтАЩll have to think about
whether or not to accept the guardsmen. Did you want me to leave for the palace right now?тАЭ
тАЬNo, youтАЩll be leaving in the morning, properly dressed and riding in a coach,тАЭ her father answered, a hint
of satisfaction in his expression, then the expression changed. тАЬBut if youтАЩre accepting my bribe, there will
be something else required of you. IтАЩm tired of looking like a doormat where my daughter is concerned,
so youтАЩll also have to be punished for running away. And donтАЩt tell me again that you werenтАЩt running
away. ThatтАЩs what your actions looked like to everyone, and in this instance itтАЩs appearance that counts.тАЭ
тАЬWhat if I decide not to let myself be punished?тАЭ Adair countered, disliking this little extra her father had
thrown in. тАЬI didnтАЩt do anything to deserve being punished for, so -тАЭ
тАЬDidnтАЩt do anything?тАЭ her father echoed, and now a touch of outrage colored his words and hardened his
stare. тАЬYou call disappearing without a word nothing? Do you have any idea how I worried until you
were found and brought back safe and sound? No, of course you donтАЩt have any idea, not when youтАЩve
never spent five minutes thinking about anyone but yourself.тАЭ
He seemed to want to say more on that subject, but the duke was a man who prided himself on his self
control. He swallowed his anger, then took a deep breath.
тАЬWhether or not you accept my offer, youтАЩll still be punished,тАЭ he said then, not the least doubt to be
seen in his eyes or expression. тАЬFor this you donтАЩt have the option of refusal, and I wonтАЩt even listen to
argument. Zinder will take you to the new apartment IтАЩve had prepared for you, and youтАЩd better know
there will be guards outside your door. IтАЩll see you in the morning before you leave.тАЭ
At one time Adair might have been tempted to say something else, but these days she really did hate to
waste her breath. Zinder opened the door when his name was shouted, and then he had her arm again
and was taking her someplace else.
The someplace else turned out to be one of the inner apartments of the house, large, beautifully furnished
rooms that had not even a single window. Two guardsmen already stood outside the door, and Zinder