"Katherine Kurtz - Camber 3 - Camber the Heretic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

would have audience with the King's Grace. Be so good as to announce me."
Secretly enjoying Murdoch's aggravation, Joram made the man another bow
of strictest formality, then turned slightly toward the two men seated in the
sunshine.
"Sire, His Excellency, the Earl of Carthane."
Cinhil, his back safely to the door, was able to indulge in a tiny sigh of
resignation before turning his profile to the waiting lord. "Ah, Murdoch, can't it
wait? I'm just trouncing Bishop Cullen at Cardounet."
"My most profound apologies, my liege," Murdoch answered, giving Joram a
glance of purest disdain as he pressed past the priest and bent to kiss the
king's hand almost reverently. "I thought to acquaint you with the progress of
the royal princes' studies, as you did request, but if the time is inconvenient, I
can come back another time. My Lord Chancellor."
As he straightened from Cinhil's hand, he gave Camber the curtest of nods,
and Camber inclined his head graciously in return, knowing that his politeness
would gall Murdoch far more than any incivility on his part. Murdoch's mouth
took on the appearance of a man who had been eating lemons, but he hid that
from Cinhil as he turned away briefly to draw up a stool, having been bidden by
Cinhil's gesture to take a seat.
"Nay, you need not come back later, my lord," Cinhil said. "I did ask after my
sons, and you have done right to come and tell me. Are you and their other
governors satisfied with their progress?"
Murdoch settled on his stool with a flourish, watching Cinhil toy with one of
the captured pieces. He masked his annoyance well, but Camber could tell that
he was less than pleased to have only Cinhil's divided attention. His voice was
nasal and irritating. Camber wondered, not for the first time, what Cinhil saw
in him besides his ancient human lineage. He had met Murdoch's sons, and
counted them no particular enhancement to any family line.
"Prince Alroy progresses well, Sire. His Highness has a flair for languages,
and Bishop Hubert is very pleased with his studies of the scriptures. He is also
growing stronger daily. He will make a worthy king to succeed Your
GraceтАФthough of course we all pray that will be far in the future."
"Yes, yes, go on."
"Of course, Sire. Prince Rhys Michael is yet young, of course, but both Earl
Ewan and Lord Rhun agree that he shows great promise as a strategist and
tactician, as well as skill with weapons. If he should one day become king, you
need not fear for the welfare of this land."
"Oh, come now, the boy's only ten! What about Javan?" Cinhil asked
impatiently.
 Camber tried to keep his face impassive as Cinhil turned his full attention
on Murdoch. Beyond the king, he could see Joram perched gingerly on the
edge of his seat in the window embrasure, felt Joram extending his senses so
that he might overhear all through Camber's mind. At one time or another,
Joram had been tutor to all three of Cinhil's children, and Camber knew that
the crippled middle prince held a special place in his son's heart.
He turned his attention back to Cinhil, feeling for the king as well as Joram
as the royal lips drew back in a tight-lipped grimace.
"Why do you hesitate about Javan?" Cinhil asked quietly. "Is he a problem
for you?"
With an embarrassed shrug, Murdoch began a minute inspection of a gold