"Terry McConnel - Highlander - Scimitar" - читать интересную книгу автора (McConnel Terry)

And now, a cloth to wash away his sickness and make him feel better.

Duncan finally regained enough equilibrium to catch at her wrist.
"That's enough, lass. I thank you."

She smiled at him. "I'm sorry you don't travel well, Duncan. I think
traveling the sea is so wonderful." The Mediterranean Sea was the blue
of sapphires, with a lining of white on each wave. Sunlight glittered
on the water. Gulls tilted back and forth on the warm salt breeze,
calling. It was quite beautiful, of course, much as a landscape filled
with jewels, much as the woman at his side was beautiful, but it would
keep moving so....

"Ah, well." He reached behind him to take a surreptitious deathgrip on
the rail. "Best you go back to your father, now. We wouldn't want him
to get the wrong idea. As for the sea- Perhaps your new husband will
take you with him sometimes."
"My ... new husband. Yes." She smiled again, and winked, and swayed
away to stand beside her father, who was glowering at the exchange.
Something about her expression bothered the Highlander. He hoped she
hadn't decided she was going to run away with her bodyguard. She was a
good girl, really, perhaps too out,,oing; she had spent a lot of time
talking to the Turkish ambassadors. But she was never scandalous.
D'Valenzuela had always been nearby, or her father, or Duncan, keeping
an eye on her. Still, it was no secret she didn't want this marriage,
to a tradin, partner of her father's in Spain.

The Sancta Innocents was a decent-sized, if old, galley flying the flag
of Venice. The twin masts were supplemented by a bank of oars for
maneuvering when the wind failed. She carried six passengers, a cargo
of silk and tea from Cathay, and a substantial dowry in gold and jewels.
The entire cargo belonged to the Signore d'Alessandro.

Besides the family d'Alessandro was another, secretive little man
calling himself Calizione, who kept himself apart; Duncan had been too
seasick to find out any more about him. And then there was Duncan
MacLeod himself, who was there because the Sancta Innocents was lifting
anchor when the impulse struck him to go. He had met the d'Alessandros
at one of the huge banquets the Do,e gave, where persons of all nations
and importance met, conversed, dealt secretly with one another. He had
gotten to know them and d'Valenzuela in several such encounters. He had
been delighted to accept the invitation to accompany them. adding his
sword to Alfonso's for the protection of them all.

At least, he had been delighted until the ship had cleared the harbor.
Even the English Channel had not made him as sick as the deceptively
gentle Mediterranean. From the first day out, he had been ill to some
degree. Terezia had clucked over him like a worried bantam hen, much to
the amusement of everyone else.