"Peg Kerr - The Wild Swans" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Peg)

please you! With nary a visit, nary a letter to the poor girl!тАЭ NellтАЩs gaze met ElizaтАЩs, lips trembling as her
tears spilled over again. She turned scarlet, sensing she was making herself ridiculous, but despite ElizaтАЩs
pleading eyes, the words kept tumbling out. тАЬWell, I did my best, but how could I teach an earlтАЩs
daughter to be a fine lady? An excellent, proper father, leaving her with the likes of me!тАЭ
Mrs. Warren opened her mouth to object, but Nell hurried on, тАЬAnd yet never a momentтАЩs trouble
did she give me, for sheтАЩs as good-hearted, as fine a lass as ... as ...тАЭ Nell burst into sobs in earnest,
throwing her apron over her face. тАЬLittle he knew or cared! But now, тАШtis enough with poor Nell
Barton, and тАЩtis time for the girl to come home. Home! And where does the Earl think his daughter
has been these last ten years?тАЭ
She sank onto a stool, overcome and acutely humiliated at having become unwoven before these fine
people. And then she heard a footstep beside her, and a familiar voice saying softly into her ear, тАЬHush,
Mother Nell...тАЭ and she leaned gratefully against ElizaтАЩs waist as the girl wound her arms comfortingly
around her shoulders.
тАЬHave you done yet?тАЭ said Mrs. Warren coldly.
тАЬMrs. Barton,тАЭ Robert Owen interposed, directing a quelling glance at Mrs. Warren, тАЬ тАШtis true, our
coming here must be a shock. We are sorry you did not receive warning of our arrival. Belike you and
the child would wish a quarter hour together alone before we go?тАЭ
тАЬA quarter hour?тАЭ Eliza said in bewilderment. тАЬAm I to leave so soon, then?тАЭ No one answered her.
Mrs. Warren avoided her eyes, contenting herself instead with glaring at Nell. The young man, Edward
Conway, looked at the floor. Robert Owen alone met her gaze, his expression softened by Pity.
Numbly, Eliza looked about the small, crowded room. The familiar objects all around her stood out in
a strange, sharp relief, as though to engrave themselves on her memory for one last private instant before
vanishing forever. There was the loom her foster father, Tom Barton, had used, still set up with a length
of half-woven perpetuana, untouched since Tom had left three years before. In the sudden silence, Eliza
fancied she could almost hear the thump and clatter of the wooden shuttle, and TomтАЩs merry whistle.
There was the bed with the counterpane Nell had embroidered before her wedding, and there, ElizaтАЩs
own first sampler, mounted upon the wall. Out the window she could see a delicate mist of new lettuce
and herbs unfurling in the garden, and the first tendrils of beans just beginning to wind up the poles. She
had spent countless mornings working there, hoeing and weeding, savoring the feeling of the damp earth
crumbling between her toes. They had planted a cherry tree that spring; she would never taste its fruit
now.
With an effort, she spoke. тАЬI... I must fetch my tippet. And my other clothesтАФтАЭ
тАЬYou neednтАЩt trouble to pack much, my lady,тАЭ said Mrs. Warren. тАЬWe will see toтАЩt you are more ...
suitably garbed ere you meet his lordship.тАЭ
Nell stiffened, and Eliza saw and understood her indignation. She felt an answering flicker of fury
begin to rise. тАЬI needs must be alone with Nell to say my farewell,тАЭ she said coldly. тАЬAnd I will meet my
father wearing my own clothes. He provided them, did he not? Surely he thought them suitable.тАЭ
Robert OwenтАЩs eyes crinkled in amusement, and then his face became carefully bland again. He gave
her a half bow. тАЬWe will leave you for a space, my lady. Mrs. Warren, Edward, would it please you to
walk with me in the orchard?тАЭ
He shepherded them from their seats, soothing Mrs. WarrenтАЩs gobbled protests and throwing an
enigmatic look over his shoulder at Eliza as he led them out.
тАЬI didnтАЩt know where thou had gone,тАЭ Nell said. тАЬWhen they came ... and said thou must leave ...тАЭ
She pressed a hand to her mouth.
тАЬI am very sorry. I... went for a walk.тАЭ She had been out in the yard shortly after dawn, feeding the
chickens, when a flock of wild swans had flown overhead through the dwindling morning mist, wheeling
over the yard twice before flying away to the west. The sight had taken her breath away, and without
understanding the impulse, she had left her chores to follow the path of the birds, until they had faded to
distant specks in the brightening sky. She had felt a pang of guilt when she turned for home. Nell fretted
whenever she roamed very far in neighboring fields and woods, worrying that without one of her friends