"Ann Maxwell - Risk unlimited 02 - Shadow and Silk" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maxwell Ann)

Wind gusted, rising with the falling light.
Forcing herself not to shiver, Dani waited as though she had all night and a roaring fire to keep her warm.
Reluctantly Feng unslung the tube and took off the cap. He tipped the tube. When nothing appeared, he started to
shake the metal vigorously.
тАЮWait!тАЬ Dani said, horrified. тАЮDo it gently!тАЬ
тАЮLess noise, please!тАЬ Feng said in a low, urgent voice.
тАЮIf this material is what you say,тАЬ she shot back softly, тАЮyou could destroy it in an instant of rough handling.тАЬ
Feng grunted and looked at the open end of the tube.
Dani had the distinct impression that he hadnтАЩt ever seen the contents.
Thank God, she said silently. Maybe whoever packed the tube knew more about handling ancient silk than this
dolt.
тАЮMay I?тАЬ Dani asked.
She held out her hand in a gesture that was more a command than a request.
Feng hesitated, then handed over the tube.
тАЮYou destroy, you pay,тАЬ he said.
Dani shot him an impatient look.
тАЮIf it comes out of the tube already destroyed,тАЬ she said, тАЮI wonтАЩt pay you a tin penny.тАЬ
Feng grunted.
Gently Dani tipped and tapped the metal cylinder until its contents slid out into her hand. It was a tube of white silk
tied in several places by azure silk ribbons.
A single glance at the weave of the white silk told Dani that the cloth was modern and machine-woven.
She was reassured rather than dismayed. Lacking a climate-controlled museum case, a wrapping of heavy silk and
LhasaтАЩs extremely dry, cold air was the best protection she could have hoped to find for the fragile, ancient silk she
had seen briefly earlier that day.
With chilled fingers Dani undid the ribbon that bound one end of the roll. Very gently she turned back a corner of
the protective fabric, taking care not to breathe directly on whatever the modern silk enclosed.
Inside the roll was another piece of cloth. Even without direct light, she recognized the combination of wild and
domestic silk threads. The style of weaving itself was ancient, with a pattern only on the weft threads.
Considering the presumed age of the fabric, the azure dye was remarkably intense, glowing even in the twilight.
The radiance of the blue was enhanced by the incredibly fine gold threads that had been spun in with some of the silk.
What a glorious piece this once was, Dani thought, awed. Even what remains is extraordinary.
She rubbed her fingertips vigorously on the inside of her coat, warming and cleaning them by friction. Then, more
delicately than a breath, she brushed her fingertips over a corner of the cloth.
Her experienced sense of touch instantly detected the smooth resilience of thrown silk and the subtle variations in
texture that were the result of both the silk itself and the weaverтАЩs own touch on the loom.
The fabric was just as she had seen it laid out carefully on top of a chest in the back of the shop where Feng had
first approached her. The feel of it was unmistakable to her sensitive, trained fingertips.
Quickly Dani covered the ancient silk, wrapped it, tied it securely, and eased it back into the tube. Breathing a sigh
of relief, she capped the tube firmly. It was the best she could do to preserve the fragile artifact until she got back to
America.
Without warning Feng snatched the aluminum tube from DaniтАЩs fingers.
тАЮYou are satisfied,тАЬ he said.
It wasnтАЩt a question, but Dani answered anyway.
тАЮYes,тАЬ she said. тАЮCompletely.тАЬ
тАЮThe money, Miss Warren. Then I, too, will be satisfied completely.тАЬ
FengтАЩs grin was quick, nervous, and not in the least reassuring.
тАЮIn a moment,тАЬ Dani said.
 тАЮWhy wait? The night is advancing.тАЬ
She didnтАЩt need to be reminded of that. Yet still she hesitated.
The silk was real. She was sure of that.