"Janet Kagan - Mirabile" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kagan Janet)

I can?тАЭ A sweeping spread of the hands. тАЬIтАЩm very good at keeping out of the way
and at following orders. IтАЩm also a first-rate shot with a rifle and I can tell the
difference between a monstrosity and a monster. I promise no shooting unless itтАЩs
absolutely necessary.тАЭ
тАЬLet me think on it, Leo.тАЭ Mostly I wanted to ask Elly if what he said was true.
He must have read my mind, because he smiled and said, тАЬElly will vouch for me.
IтАЩll see you in the morning.тАЭ
That was all. Except maybe I should mention he kissed my hand on his way out. I
was beginning to like Leo more and more.
After he left, I did some thinking on it, then I trotted downstairs to talk to Elly. I
leaned against the countertop, careful not to get in the way of her cleaning, and said,
тАЬTell me about Leo.тАЭ
Elly stopped scrubbing for a moment, looked up, and smiled. тАЬLike you,тАЭ she
said.
 тАЬThat good or bad?тАЭ
The smile broadened into a grin. тАЬBoth. That means heтАЩs stubborn, loyal, keeps a
secret secret, plays gruff with the kids but adores them just the same.тАЭ
тАЬAny permanent attachments?тАЭ It popped out before I knew it was coming. I tried
to shove it back in, but Elly only laughed harder at my attempt.
тАЬWhy, Annie! I believe youтАЩve got a crush on Leo!тАЭ Still laughing, she pulled out
a chair and sat beside me, cupping her chin in her hand. тАЬI shouldnтАЩt be surprised.
All the kids do.тАЭ
I gave one of SusanтАЩs patented sighs.
тАЬOkay, okay,тАЭ she said, тАЬIтАЩll leave off. I like it, though. I like Leo and I like you
and I think youтАЩd get along together just fine.тАЭ
тАЬIs he as good a shot as he claims to be? And as judicious about it?тАЭ
That sat her upright and looking wary.
тАЬNo panic,тАЭ I said firmly. тАЬYou have got something in the loch that I want a look
atтАФbut itтАЩs an herbivore and I doubt itтАЩs dangerous. ItтАЩs big enough to overturn a
boat maybe, butтАФтАЭ
тАЬAre you calling in the team?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt think thatтАЩs necessary. They could all do with a breakтАФтАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs what you came for. ThatтАЩs hardly fair.тАЭ
I waved that aside. тАЬElly, you should know me better by now. I wouldnтАЩt have
taken this up as a profession if I werenтАЩt a born meddler. And I asked about Leo
because he offered to give me a hand.тАЭ I know I scowled. тАЬMoney and equipment I
can always getтАФitтАЩs the hands weтАЩre short.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre going to make off with half my kids one of these days.тАЭ
I couldnтАЩt help it. I jerked around to stare at her. She was smilingтАФand that laugh
was threatening to break out all over again. тАЬAnnie, surely itтАЩs occurred to you that
half those kids want to be just like you when they grow up!тАЭ
тАЬButтАФ!тАЭ
тАЬOh, dear. Poor Mama Jason. You thought I was raising a whole passel of little
Ellies here, didnтАЩt you?тАЭ
The thing was, IтАЩd never given it any thought at all. More than likely I just
assumed Susan and Chris and Ilanith would take over the lodge andтАж
Elly patted my hand. тАЬDonтАЩt you worry. Chris will run the lodge and you and the
rest can still drop by for vacations.тАЭ
I felt guilty as hell somehow, as if IтАЩd subverted the whole family.
Elly gave me a big hug. тАЬWipe that look off your face. YouтАЩd think I got chimerae