"John Meaney - Blood and Verse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Meaney John)

to the possibility of virtual widowhood, likely to fall upon them at any moment,
should their husbands depart on far journeys, effectively forever.

тАЬтАФaround the city?тАЭ

тАЬUm...тАЭ I drag my attention back to my surroundings. To the press of the
ladyтАЩs hand upon my own. тАЬI beg your pardon, maтАЩam.тАЭ

She sits back, releasing me.

тАЬIтАЩll give you the full city tour,тАЭ she promises. тАЬOn my personal skimmer.тАЭ

You know what they mean by тАШcityтАЩ here?

Look out of the hotel, youтАЩll see nothing but sea and misty rain. Twenty
minutes by skimmer: thatтАЩs how you get to the nearest buildings. But theyтАЩre classed
as neighbours, and this loose extended confederation is termed Sherkalian City.
Hardly my idea of urban dwelling.
 тАЬThatтАЩs very kind,тАЭ I say.

Which she seems to take as acceptance, though I donтАЩt mean it that way at all.
How does one say no to those who are deaf to nuance?

тАЬMy name is Elaina.тАЭ Musical voice. Turquoise eyesтАФthough a little opaque
with ageтАФhold a certain promise. тАЬAnd yours, my handsome young man?тАЭ

But IтАЩm in love.

тАЬAndrei,тАЭ I say. тАЬAndrei vтАЩDanshin KaDonnel, maтАЩam.тАЭ

тАЬAnd politely spoken, too.тАЭ

The serving-girl arrives, accompanied by a lev-tray which she gestures into
place. Dark-blue bowls: fruit, rice. Fragrant tea.

тАЬThank you.тАЭ I bow as well as I can from my seated position.

The serving-girl smiles as she backs away.

тАЬCharming.тАЭ Elaina sounds peeved. тАЬThereтАЩs no needтАФтАЭ

She stops.

No need to be polite to servants, she was going to say. Smiling, though, she
asks instead: тАЬHow many lightyears have you travelled, Andrei?тАЭ

тАЬтАШAll and none.тАЩтАЭ A quotation from a Lingshuan ballad. тАЬNo distance at all.тАЭ

Or time, I remind myself.