"Katherine Kurtz - Adept 01 - The Adept" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

will."
With this assurance, Adam rang off and resumed his breakfast, thinking about the Hepburn Sword. He was
just finishing his second cup of tea, and thumbing through his day's appointments, when Humphrey
reappeared with the morning's post on a silver tray.
Adam accepted the stack of mail with a murmur of thanks and gave it a cursory riffle, then set it aside and
handed Humphrey the front section of The Scotsman.
"I've circled an article on page two. I'd be obliged if you'd file it for me. We may have occasion to refer to it
again."
"I understand, sir." Humphrey folded the paper and tucked it neatly under his arm before casting an eye over
the table. "Are you quite finished here, sir?"
Adam nodded, rising as he gave a glance to his watch. "Yes, I am. Good Lord, where does the time go? I
want to call in at Kintoul House before I head into Edinburgh."
Humphrey paused in the act of clearing the table, his expression all at once one of concern. "Nothing wrong
with Lady Laura, I hope, sir?"
Adam grimaced. "I don't know yet, Humphrey. I won't know until I see her. Incidentally, did you remember
that I'm dining with the Bishop of Saint Andrew's tonight?"
"Of course, sir. I've laid out your dark grey suit, and there's a fresh shirt in your briefcase."
"Perfect!" Adam said with a grin, pulling off his tie as he headed for the stairs. "If anyone wants me, then, you
know where I'll be. Oh, and if Inspector McLeod should happen to ring after I've left the hospital, tell him where
I'm dining, and that I'll get back with him directly."
"Very good, sir," said Humphrey. "I'll attend to everything."

chapter Two

A SCANT twenty minutes later, freshly showered and shaved, Adam emerged from his private apartments,
riding clothes replaced by the crisp white shirt and formal three-piece suit that are the uniform of the medical
profession.
The images that kept pace with him in the mirrors that lined the entry hall of Strathmourne House were those
of a tall, dark-haired man in his vigorous forties, who moved with the purposeful air of one to whom time is
always precious and in all too short supply. He had been a fencer and a promising dressage rider in his
younger days, before the allure of medicine and other pursuits turned his energies to different priorities. The
grace and suppleness required to excel at either sport persisted in an elegance of carriage that could not be
taught, only inborn. The silver at his temples softened a patrician profile that, in other men, might have been
regarded as severe.
Yet any severity of temperament was that of a man who expects more of himself than of anyone else around
him. And it was compassion that tempered the air of brilliant intensity that Adam Sinclair wore as naturally as
he wore his clothes. Even in unguarded moments of relaxation, the dark eyes promised the smouldering
potential of a banked peat fire - a glow that could kindle spontaneously into comforting warmth or, more
rarely, flare into sudden, formidable anger. The latter instances were rare, indeed, and usually balanced by a
dry wit that could defuse nearly any taut situation.
His sense of humor came through now, as he passed from the hall into the vestibule. Outside, Humphrey had
brought up the sedate and conservative blue Range Rover that Adam usually took into the city when he drove
himself, and was waiting to hand him trenchcoat, hat, and briefcase; but as the day was promising to be fine,
Adam shook his head as he emerged, heading for the garage instead.
"I've changed my mind, Humphrey," he said, bidding him toss case, coat, and hat under the tonneau cover of
a dark blue XJ-S convertible, a recent and prized acquisition. "It's a perfect day for the Jag. If I get out of
Jordanburn on time, it should still be light when I drive up to Perth. I don't believe the bishop's seen this
beauty yet. If he's very respectful, I may even let him drive her before dinner."
Humphrey chuckled as he helped Adam zip back the tonneau cover on the driver's side and tuck it behind the
leather seat.