"Elizabeth Moon - Gird 02 - Liar's Oath" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

Just as he realized that she would inevitably end up in his office, the yeomanтАЩs apologetic cough at the door brought his
eyes to the spectacle. She was, undoubtedly, mageborn: a determinedly upright lady with snowy hair and slightly faded
blue eyes, who dressed as if the former king were still ruling. A pouf of lace at the throat, a snug bodice with flaring skirt
and puffed sleeves, all in brilliant reds and blues and greens: he had not seen such clothes since childhood. Luap
wondered how that gorgeous robe had survived the looting. Then, with the appearance at her back of a stout, redfaced
servant in blue and brown, he realized she must have impressed her staff with more than her money. The younger woman
gave him look for look, challenging and defensive both.
тАЬThis is the Marshal-GeneralтАЩs luap,тАЭ the yeoman said. He was sweating, his eyes wide. тАЬHeтАЩll be able to help you.тАЭ
тАЬI want the Marshal-General,тАЭ the old lady said. Then, as Luap rose and came toward her, she raked him with a
measuring glare, and her voice changed. тАЬOhhтАж youтАЩll understand. Perhaps you can help me.тАЭ Whatever she had seen
convinced her he was one of her kind. Behind her, the peasant woman smirked, and Luap felt his ears redden. Of course
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LiarтАЩs Oath - The Legacy of Gird 02, Elizabeth Moon
everyone knew about himтАФat least that he had mageborn blood on his fatherтАЩs side, which was not that uncommon. But
the way this woman said it, she might have known who his father was.
The old lady favored him with a surprisingly sweet smile, and laid a long fingered hand on her chest. тАЬCould I perhaps sit
down?тАЭ Luap found himself bowing. тАЬOf courseтАж hereтАжтАЭ His own chair, onto which he threw a pillow. She rested on it
with the weightless grace of dandelion fluff, her rich brocaded robe falling into elegant folds. The peasant woman handed
her a tapestry bag, then settled herself against the wall. The old lady rummaged in the bag, her lips pursed, and finally
drew out a strip of blue gorgeously embroidered in gold and silver; it glittered even in the dim indoor light.
тАЬYou will understand,тАЭ she began, peering up at Luap with a smile she might have bestowed on a favorite nephew. тАЬThey
all tell me that the Marshal-General doesnтАЩt like fancy things, that he was a mere peasant, but of course thatтАЩs nonsense.тАЭ
Luap opened his mouth, then shut it slowly at the expression on the peasant womanтАЩs face. Best hear the old woman out.
тАЬBeing a peasant doesnтАЩt mean having no taste,тАЭ she went on, looking up to be sure he agreed. тАЬPeasants like fancy things
as much as anyone else, and some of them do very good work. Out in the villages, you know.тАЭ She seemed to expect
some response; Luap nodded. тАЬMen donтАЩt always notice such things, but I learned as a young wifeтАФwhen my husband
was alive, we used to spend summers at different vills on his estatesтАФthat every peasant vill had its own patterns.
Weaving, embroidery, even pottery. And the women, once they found I was interested, would teach me, or at least let me
watch.тАЭ Another shrewd glance. Luap nodded again, then looked at the peasant woman leaning against the wall. Servant?
Keeper? The womanтАЩs expression said protector, but it had to be an unusual situation. Few of the city servants had stayed
with their mageborn masters when Fin Panir fell.
тАЬSo I know,тАЭ the old woman went on, тАЬthat Gird will like this, if he only understands how important it is.тАЭ She unfolded
the cloth carefully, almost reverently, and Luap saw the stylized face of the Sunlord, Esea, a mass of whorls and spirals,
centering a blue cloth bordered with broad band of silver interlacement. тАЬFor the altar in the Hall, of course, now that it
has been properly cleansed.тАЭ She gave Luap a long disapproving stare, and said тАЬI always told the king, may he rest at
ease, that he was making a terrible, terrible mistake by listening to that person from over the mountains, but he had had
his sorrows, you understand.тАЭ When he said nothing, finding nothing to say, she cocked her head and said тАЬYou do
understand?тАЭ
тАЬNotтАж completely.тАЭ He folded his arms, and at her faint frown unfolded them. тАЬThis cloth is for the Hall, you say? For
the High LordтАЩs altar?тАЭ
She drew herself even more erect and almost sniffed. тАЬWhatever you call itтАФwe always called Esea the Sunlord, though I
understand there has been some argument that the High Lord and the Sunlord are one and the same.тАЭ
тАЬYes, lady.тАЭ He wondered what Arranha would say about this. For a priest of the Sunlord he was amazingly tolerant of
other peoplesтАЩ beliefs, but he still held to his own.
тАЬI could do nothing while the Hall was defiled. And of course the cloths used then could not be used again; I understood
that. But now that the Hall is clean, these things must be done, and done properly. Few are left who understand that. You
must not think it was easy.тАЭ
тАЬNo, lady,тАЭ Luap said automatically, his mind far astray. How was he going to explain her to Gird? How would Gird
react?