"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 01 - Daggerspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

Much more rarely Jill saw Lord Melyn himself, who only occasionally rode into the village, usually to
administer a judgment on someone whoтАЩd broken the law. When, on one particularly hot and airless day,
Lord Melyn actually came into the tavern for some ale, it was an important event. Although the lord had
thin gray hair, a florid face, and a paunch, he was an impressive man, standing ramrod straight and
striding in like the warrior he was. With him were two young men from his warband, because a noble
lord never went anywhere alone. Jill hastily ran her hands through her messy hair and made the lord a
curtsey. Macyn came hurrying with his hands full of tankards; he set them down and made the lord a
bow.

тАЬCursed hot day,тАЭ Lord Melyn remarked, drinking thirstily.

тАЬIt is, my lord,тАЭ Macyn said, somewhat awestruck that the lord would speak to him.

тАЬPretty child.тАЭ Lord Melyn glanced at Jill. тАЬYour granddaughter?тАЭ

тАЬSheтАЩs not, my lord,тАЭ Macyn said. тАЬBut the child of the lass who used to work here for me.тАЭ
 тАЬShe died of a fever,тАЭ one of the riders interrupted. тАЬCursed sad thing.тАЭ

тАЬWhoтАЩs her father?тАЭ Lord Melyn said. тАЬOr does anyone even know?тАЭ

тАЬOh, not a doubt in the world, my lord,тАЭ the rider said with an unpleasant grin. тАЬCullyn of Cerrmor,
and no man would have dared to trifle with his wench.тАЭ

тАЬTrue enough.тАЭ Lord Melyn laughed under his breath. тАЬSo, lass, youтАЩve got a famous father, do you?тАЭ

тАЬI do?тАЭ Jill said.

Lord Melyn laughed again.

тАЬWell, no doubt a warriorтАЩs glory doesnтАЩt mean much to a little lass, but your daтАЩs the greatest
swordsman in all Deverry, silver dagger or no.тАЭ The lord reached into the leather pouch at his belt and
brought out some coppers to pay Macyn, then handed Jill a silver piece. тАЬHere, child, without a mother
youтАЩll need a bit of coin to get a new dress.тАЭ

тАЬMy humble thanks, my lord.тАЭ As she made him a curtsey, Jill realized that her dress was indeed
awfully shabby. тАЬMay the gods bless you.тАЭ

After the lord and his men left the tavern, Jill put her silver piece into a little wooden box in her
chamber. At first, looking at it gleaming in the box made her feel like a rich lady herself; then all at once
she realized that his lordship had just given her charity. Without that coin, she wouldnтАЩt be able to get a
new dress, just as without MacynтАЩs kindness, she would have nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep. The
thought seemed to burn in her mind. Blindly she ran outside to the stand of trees behind the tavern and
threw herself facedown onto the shady grass. When she called out to them, the Wildfolk cameтАФher
favorite gray gnome, a pair of warty blue fellows with long pointed teeth, and a sprite, who would have
looked like a tiny beautiful woman if it werenтАЩt for her eyes, wide, slit like a catтАЩs, and utterly mindless. Jill
sat up to let the gray gnome climb into her lap.

тАЬI wish you could talk,тАЭ Jill said. тАЬIf something should happen to Macyn, could I come live in the
woods with your folk?тАЭ