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

тАЬSounds good to me,тАЭ I said, тАЬif the kids waiting tables can take it.тАЭ
тАЬWe raise a sturdy bunch around here. Go eat, Annie.тАЭ Elly gave me a kiss on the
cheekтАФI got a bonus kiss from JenтАФand the two of them bustled off to get my
room ready. I frowned after them: Jen still seemed worried and I wondered why.
Ilanith rounded the desk to grab my pack. Standing between me and Leo, she
suddenly jammed her fists into her hips. тАЬOh, nuts. ShipтАЩs manners. Honestly,
Mama JasonтАФhow did people ever get acquainted in the old days?тАЭ With an
expression of tried patience, she formally introduced the two of us.
I looked him over, this time giving him a fair shake. The face was as good as the
reputation, all laugh lines etched deep. In return, I got inspected just as hard.
When nobody said anything for a full half second, Ilanith said, тАЬMore? You need
more? DidnтАЩt I get it right?тАЭ
Leo gave a smile that was a match for EllyтАЩs. Definitely the EC, I thought. Then
he thrust out a huge welcoming hand and said, тАЬThatтАЩs Leo to you, as I donтАЩt
imagine I could outshout you.тАЭ
That assessment visibly impressed Ilanith.
тАЬAnnie,тАЭ I said. I took the hand. Not many people have hands the size of mine. In
Denness IтАЩd met my match for once. Surprised me how good that felt. He didnтАЩt let
go immediately and I wasnтАЩt all that anxious for him to do so.
Ilanith eyed him severely. тАЬLeo, thereтАЩs no need to be grabby!тАЭ She tapped his
hand, trying to make him let go.
тАЬShows how much you know about shipтАЩs manners,тАЭ Leo said. тАЬI was about to
offer the lady my arm, to escort her into the dining room.тАЭ
тАЬPerfectly good old-time ritual,тАЭ I said. тАЬI can stand it if he can.тАЭ
Leo held out his arm, shipтАЩs formal; I took it. We went off rather grandly, leaving
Ilanith all the more suspicious that weтАЩd made it up for her benefit.
Leo chuckled as we passed beyond her earshot. тАЬShe wonтАЩt believe that until she
double-checks with Elly.тАЭ
тАЬI know. Good for тАЩemтАФcheck it out for yourself, I always say. Have you heard
any bellowing off the loch?тАЭ
 тАЬYes,тАЭ he said, тАЬI have heard a couple of unusual sounds off the loch lately. IтАЩve
no way of knowing if theyтАЩre all made by the same creature. But IтАЩve lived here long
enough to know that these are new. One is a kind of sucking gurgle. Then thereтАЩs
something related to a cowтАЩs lowingтАЭтАФhe held up a handтАФтАЬnot cow and not red
deer either. I know both. And thereтАЩs a bellow thatтАЩll bring you out of a sound sleep
faster than a shotgun blast.тАЭ
His lips flattened a bit. тАЬI canтАЩt vouch for that one. IтАЩve only heard it awakening
from sleep. It might have been a dream, but it never feels like dreamтАФand the bellow
Stirzaker gave was a fair approximation of it.тАЭ
The lines across his forehead deepened. тАЬThereтАЩs something else you should
know, Annie. JenтАЩs been acting spooked, and neither Elly nor I can make any sense
of it.тАЭ
тАЬI saw. I thought she was still keyed up over the monster business.тАЭ
He shook his head. тАЬThis started weeks ago, long before Stirzaker and Pastides
got everybody stirred up. тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩll see what I can find out.тАЭ
тАЬAnything I can do to help,тАЭ he said. He swung his free hand to tell me how
extensive that тАЬanythingтАЭ actually was. тАЬOn either count. тАЭ
тАЬRight now, you watch me eat a big plate of my shrimp with ChrisтАЩs barbecue
sauce on тАЩem.тАЭ