"Tanya Huff - Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

Chapter ONE

"Rebecca!"
Rebecca paused, one hand on the kitchen door.
"Did you put your tins away neatly?"
"Yes, Lena."
"Have you got your uniform to wash?"
Rebecca smiled but otherwise remained frozen in the motion of
leaving. Her food services uniform was folded neatly in the bottom of
her bright red tote bag. "Yes, Lena."
"Do you have your muffins for the weekend?"
"Yes, Lena." The muffins, carefully wrapped, were packed safely on
top of her soiled uniform. She waited for the next line of the
litany.
"Now, don't forget to eat while you're home."
Rebecca nodded so vigorously her brown curls danced. "I'll remember,
Lena." One more.
"I'll see you Monday, puss."
"See you Monday, Lena." Freed by the speaking of the last words,
Rebecca pushed open the door and bounded out and up the stairs.
Lena watched her go, then turned and went back into her office.
"And you go through this every Friday, Mrs. Pementel?"
"Every Friday," Lena agreed, settling down into her chair with a
sigh. "For almost a year now."
Her visitor shook his head. "I'm surprised she's allowed to wander
around unsupervised."
Lena snorted and dug around in her desk for her cigarettes. "Oh,
she's safe enough. The Lord protects
his own. Damn lighter." She shook it, slammed it against the desk,
and was rewarded by a feeble flame. "I know what you're thinking,"
she said, as she sucked in smoke. "But she does her job better than
some with a lot more on the ball. You're not going to save any of the
taxpayers' money by getting rid of her."

The man from accounting frowned. "Actually, I was wondering how
anyone could continue smoking given the evidence. Those things'll
kill you, you know."

"Well that's my choice, isn't it? Come on," she rested her elbows on
the desk and exhaled slowly through her nose, waving the glowing end
of the cigarette at his closed briefcase. "Let's get on with it. . ."

"They cut emeralds from the heart of summer."

The grubby young man, who'd been approaching with the intention of
begging a couple of bucks, hesitated.

"And sapphires drop out of the sky, just before it gets dark."
Rebecca lifted her forehead from the pawnshop window and turned to
smile at him. "I know the names of all the jewels," she said proudly.