"Mercedes Lackey - EM 3 - The Serpents Shadow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

The peacock shivered his tail feathers, and Rhadi said in his clear
little voice, "Good! Good!" and laughed, following Mala up into the
tree.
She laughed with him, and carried Charan to her favorite seat in the
garden, a closely woven rattan chair with a huge back that mimicked a
peacock's tail. From here she could see only the green of her plants,
the fountain and pool; she could forget for a while the cold world
outside.
In a moment, Gopal brought mint tea, and placed the tray with two
glasses on the rattan table beside her. Gupta arrived without a
sound, as was his wont, materializing beside her and taking a second,
smaller chair on the other side of the table, also facing the pool
and fountain. He poured for both of them, and they each took a moment
to savor the hot sweetness in companionable silence.
"We will prosper, mem sahib," Gupta said with satisfaction, putting
his glass back down empty. "We will prosper. There is great progress
today." He smiled. "I went, as you instructed, to the theater last
night. I left your card with the man who attends to the stage door,
and also with the stage manager, and the ballet master. I made
mention that you were of liberal mind, and not one of those inclined
to attempt reform on those who were merely making a living for
themselves. It was he who asked for several more cards, on seeing it
and hearing my words, and made me to believe that he would be giving
them to some of the young ladies."
"Aha!" Maya responded. The cards she had given to Gupta, unlike her
"official" business cards, had not been printed up, but had been
calligraphed elegantly and by her own hand, because what they implied
was risky, even scandalous.
Doctor Maya Witherspoon, Lady Physician. Female complaints. Absolute
discretion, and her address. On the next lot, she would add, Licensed
to practice at St. Mary's, Paddington, and Royal Free Hospital.
What the cards implied was that she would treat the women who came to
her for treatment of their "female complaints"-including inconvenient
or unwedded pregnancy-without a lecture or a word slipped outside the
office. And that she would give instructions and supplies to prevent
inconvenient pregnancy, regardless of marital status.
"Ah, but I was wise and cunning, mem sahib," Gupta continued, his
face wreathed in smiles. "I followed well-dressed gentlemen as they
left the theater last night, and marked the houses they went to. This
morning I looked the houses over, and chose the finest. There, too,
did I leave your card, and pleased were the dwellers in those places
to see it, though one did sigh that it was too bad you were a lady
and they could not pay for your services with an exchange of trade."
"Gupta!" she exclaimed, and giggled, although her cheeks did heat up.
"That was very well done! How clever of you!" She had not been able
to work out a way to get her cards into the hands of the mistresses
of the wealthy men of London. Now Gupta had managed that, and once
one or two of the "Great Horizontals" came to her, they would see
that the rest of their set knew her name.
"Yes," Gupta replied, not at all modest. "I know, mem sahib. I think