"Robin McKinley - Damar 1 - The Blue Sword" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinley Robin)

I've never even seen any of the Freemen, the Hillfolk. All the natives at the station, even the merchants
from away, look subdued and тАж a little wary.
"Oh, bosh," said Sir Charles. "I wish I knew what he wantedlunch or anything else. Part of what
makes all this so complicated is that we know the Free Hillfolk have a very complicated code of
honorbut we know almost nothing about what it consists of."
"Almost," murmured Dedham.
"We could offend them mortally and not even know it. I don't know if Corlath is coming alone, or
with a select band of his thousand best men, all armed to the teeth and carrying lightning bolts in their
back pockets."
"Now, Charles," Dedham said. "We've invited him here"
"because the fort is not built for receiving guests of honor," Dedham said easily as Sir Charles paused.
"And," Sir Charles added plaintively, "it doesn't look quite so warlike here." Dedham laughed. "But
four o'clock in the morning," Sir Charles said.
"I think we should be thankful that it occurred to him to give us any warning at all. I don't believe it's
the sort of thing he's accustomed to having to think of." The colonel stood up, and Richard promptly took
his place behind him. Sir Charles was still pacing about the room, cup in hand, as the ladies prepared to
leave. "My apologies for spoiling your morning to no purpose," said Colonel Dedham. "I daresay he will
arrive sometime and we will deal with him, but I don't think you need put yourselves out. His message
said merely that he desired an audience with the Homelander District Commissionernot quite his phrase,
but that's the ideaand the general in command of the fort. He'll have to make do with me, though; we
don't rate a general. The Hill-kings don't go in much for gold plate and red velvet anywayI think. I hope
this is a business meeting."
"I hope so too," murmured Sir Charles to his teacup. "Andat the momentwe can't do much more than
wait and see," said the colonel. "Have some more of this excellent tea, Charles. What's in your cup must
be quite cold by now."


CHAPTER TWO
Harry and Lady Amelia took their leave, and the older woman closed the breakfast-room doors with
a sigh. Harry smiled. Lady Amelia turned back to her in time to see the smile, and returned it ruefully.
"Very well. We will leave the men to do their uncomfortable waiting alone. I am going to visit Mrs.
McDonald, you are going to go riding with Beth and Cassie and bring them back here for luncheon."
"Perhaps under the circumstances" began Harry, but Lady Amelia shook her head.
"I see no reason why you should not. If he is here, those girls have very pretty manners, and are just
whom I would invite if we were to give a formal dinner. And" here her smile broadened and became as
mischievous as a girl's"if he has brought his thousand best men, we shall be terribly short of women, and
you know how I dislike an unbalanced table. I shall have to invite Mrs. McDonald as well. Have a
pleasant ride, dear."
Harry changed into her riding-clothes, mounted her placid pony, already bridled and saddled and held
for her by one of the Residency's many servants, and rode off in a thoughtful mood toward her meeting
with her two friends. She wondered first what and how much she should tell Cassie and Beth; and,
second, found herself hoping that this Corlath would stay at least long enough for her to see him. Would a
witch-king look any different than any other man?
The sun was already hot. She pushed her hat back long enough for a cautious squint at the sky. It was
more dun-colored than blue, as if it, like everything else near Istan, were faded by the fierceness of its
sun. It looked as hard as a curved shell overhead, and brittle, as if a thrown lance might pierce it. The
placid pony shuffled along, ears flopping, and she stared out over the sands. The woods to the west of
her father's house were old, hundreds of years old, tangled with vine and creeper. Ancient trees had died
and, not having room to fall, crumbled where they stood. No landlord had thought the old forest worth
clearing and the land put to use; but it had made a wonderful jungle for herself and Dickie as children, to