"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 06 - A Time Of Omens" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

тАЬIt is!тАЭ The old man sounded as if heтАЩd weep, too, but from relief. тАЬMaryn, where are you?тАЭ

тАЬIn the hayloft. We c-c-came up here to be private, like.тАЭ

тАЬThen come down! Give the lass some coinsтАФI imagine sheтАЩs more than earned themтАФand get down
here right now!тАЭ

тАЬI will, sir. S-s-straightaway.тАЭ

There was a chink of silver, a giggle, and a rustle of hay; then Maryn clambered down the rope ladder
and dropped lightly to the floor nearby. Nevyn threw both arms around him and hugged him.

тАЬMy apologies,тАЭ Maryn stammered out. тАЬBut IтАФтАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt want to hear a word more about it, but if you ever do such a stupid thing again . . . тАЭ All at once
Nevyn broke off with a warning glance up at the hayloft, where the lass was lingering, prudently out of
the way. тАЬWell, no harm done, I suppose.тАЭ He turned to Branoic. тАЬHere, lad, you donтАЩt need to grovel
and look like cold death. The prank ended well enough.тАЭ

Branoic only shrugged for an answer. He could never explain that what was eating his heart was
MaddynтАЩs scorn. The bard himself had run over to the stable doors and was peering out the crack
between them; with an oath he came trotting back.

тАЬNevyn, take two of these horses and get Maryn out of here. When we rode in I saw a back gate over
near those trees. Branoic, you come with me. WeтАЩve got to find Aethan. I donтАЩt like the look of that
crowd.тАЭ

Much later it occurred to Branoic that he should have told Maddyn the truth right there and then, but at
the time he was quite simply so miserable, wallowing in shame and the bardтАЩs disgust, that he was sure
that Maddyn would think him a coward if he didnтАЩt go back. Outside, they found about thirty people of
both sexes milling around and talking at the top of their lungs. Quite a few people were laughing,
actuallyтАФone could guess that theyтАЩd all been elsewhere when the walls started going downтАФand
promising to spread this magnificent jest around town, much to the rage of those caught in BranoicтАЩs
unintentional trap.

тАЬI think thatтАЩs Aethan over by the tavern-room door,тАЭ Maddyn whispered. тАЬYouтАЩre tallerтАФcan you
see?тАЭ

Branoic raised himself up on the balls of his feet and shaded his eyes against the lantern light with one
hand.

тАЬIt is.тАЭ He started waving. тАЬGood, heтАЩs seen me.тАЭ

Unfortunately so had the burly fellow from the next cubicle. Fully dressed now and howling like a
banshee he came shoving his way through the crowd.

тАЬYou! YouтАЩre the little prick that started this whole cursed thing!тАЭ