"Juliet E. McKenna - Einarinn 3 - The Gambler's Fortune" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKenna Juliet E)

Usara mildly, raising a hand to summon wine. We seated ourselves at an expensively
polished table.
"It's only just past noon." I nodded to the boy, who filled my goblet and earned
himself a copper to ensure a discreet withdrawal. "The streets are busy, hadn't you
noticed? Sorry, you're not used to big cities or festival crowds, are you?" I blinked
mock contrition over the rim of the elegant crystal.
Usara answered me with a half-smile. "Have you managed to find these friends of
yours?"
"Not just yet." I shook my head, unconcerned. "I've left messages at the likely
taverns, the more adventurous brothels. They're bound to arrive sometime today or
tomorrow."
 Usara frowned. "This is all very vague and uncertain. How can you be sure
they're even coming to Selerima?"
"I know because Charoleia told me they were coming here. They wouldn't lie to
her and she has no reason to lie to me; we're friends and that means we trust each
other." I took a sip of excellent Tormalin wine. Selerima might have shaken off the
honor of being the Old Empire's most westerly city long since but merchants have
always maintained links with the East and for more than the convenience of a
common language. This vintage had been carried clear across the civilized world to
delight discerning patrons at this elegant hostelry. The flagons had probably traveled
nearly as many leagues as me.
Usara ran a hand over his thinning sandy hair. "That's all very well, but what if
something unexpected has occurred? You've no way of knowing, so I think it's best
if I--"
"No," I leaned forward in my chair and cut off his words with an emphatic sweep
of one hand. "I'm the big dog with the brass collar here. This is my game and I say
how we play it. You're only here as a favor to your master by the grace of mine."
Usara's lips thinned with irritation as a faint wash of color rose on his high
cheekbones. I thought it wise to give a little carefully judged ground. "We'll give
Sorgrad and Sorgren until tomorrow evening to contact us. If we've had no word by
then, we'll think again."
The annoyance faded reluctantly from Usara's pale complexion. "What now?"
"We eat," I gestured to the maidservant waiting patiently by the hatch to the
serving room. I could see a wonderful range of delicacies brought up from the
kitchens being suitably plated up and garnished and our table was soon spread with
an elegant array of creamware dishes. I savored the enticing aromas, always gratified
to be eating the sort of food I'd grown up seeing carried up the back stairs by
footmen and the house steward. The girl brought fine white bread, the first, sweet,
grass-fed mutton, seethed pigeon breast with its broth thickened with egg and herbs,
a grand salad of spinach and cresses, decorated with nuts, raisins, pickled buds and
crystalized flowers, lightly sauced with verjuice and green oil. Usara seemed rather
less impressed than me, but he probably ate like this every noon, not just on high
days and holidays like we lesser folk.
He wiped his mouth on a brocaded napkin. "What have you been doing this
morning?"
"As I said, leaving word in likely places." I didn't see any need to tell Usara I was
topping up my purse. I wasn't paying for any of this luxurious living but I needed a
reason to be hanging around in the tap rooms, didn't I? "How about you?"
"I've been around every guild hall asking for entry to their libraries or archives,"
scowled Usara, "but the liverymen are entirely taken up with the fair."