"Sean McMullen - Slow Famine" - читать интересную книгу автора (McMullen Sean)

"When Lord Southern has your dagger in his heart, perhaps then we can do some legplay?" she asked
simperingly. "I really do fancy you."
"Most likely," I lied again.
 She frowned, as if she could sniff out a lie like a hunting dog after game. As I untied my horse and
mounted up she stood rubbing her chin, deep in thought.
"Stay here while I ride on to Lord Southern's house," I told her. "When I return we shall go-- "
"Guv, I got lots of customers what has me stay overnight, but there's a few as doesn't show a reflection
in my little powderin' mirror. I thought it might be 'cause I were tipsy and all but-- "
"What!" I exclaimed, leaping down at once. I had not mentioned that property of vampyres to her.
"Are you sure, who are they?" I demanded. "Names, names, names!"
I found myself seizing the lapels of her coat. I forced myself to let go and began patterned breathing
exercises to calm myself. She smiled knowingly.
"Each of 'em leaves me weak and giddy when I get up to go home in the mornin'."
The thought of what she was implying was making my head spin.
"Name a price," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady.
"No price, guv, just make me into the Caroline from that tale you told Mother Newberry."
Damn! Gossip obviously spread through Melbourne Town with the speed of winged Mercury.
"Look here, I have no son, you must have guessed that. I'll give you two thousand pounds, you could
persuade any number of ruined Melbourne gentlemen to wed you for that."
"Ah ha ha, not likely," she replied. "Guv, last Thursday I saw a show at the Royal Vic. It was called
Catching an Heiress, I do have a taste for culture. I'd been mendin' the costumes, so I was allowed to
watch from the wings. The like of me is not welcome to sit with respectable ladies. Mind, their menfolk
share themselves with me for a fee-- "
"Get to the point!"
"Money's not enough. The heiress in that show was only wanted for her money. Even with your two
thousand pounds I'd still be a damned whore who made good and married a ruined gentleman. Were I to
leave Melbourne Town as your 'son's' wife I'd be a respectable lady who fell on bad times then got
saved by her father-in-law. I want to rub Melbourne Town faces in horse apples when I leave here, guv,
do you follow? Back in England, well now, two thousand pounds is all the money I need to live
comfortable-like till me dying day."
This was awkward, but not impossible. I thought carefully for some moments before I committed
myself.
"Give me proof and I'll lodge papers to declare that you are my long-lost daughter-in-law. I'll tell
everyone I'm here to clear your name, then I'll book you on the first ship out of here and you can leave in
triumph. Is that to your satisfaction?"
"I... should think so. Well then, luvey, let's go to town. There's a diary under my mattress, and in there
I've recorded services provided to certain gentlemen since I arrived here. I had a mind to publish it one
day and turn a lot of faces red, but what you'll give me for it is far better. You will soon work out who
are your vampyres and neophytes."
"And addresses, are they in the diary?"
She put her hands on her hips and laughed.
"Ah ha ha ha, I'm not silly. When I got papers calling me Mrs. Maynard, then we talk addresses."
***


It was late morning when we reached town. The diary was all that Letitia had promised, there were at
least six vampyres residing in the Port Phillip area! True to my promise I lodged papers declaring Letitia
to be my son's wife, then made a big show of booking her a passage on the Timbo, which was to sail the
next day. As we set about shopping for her voyage we spread word that I was staying behind to settle
certain matters of honour while Letitia sailed by herself for London via Sydney. True to her fondest