"Nagle, Patti - Coyote Ugly" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nagle Pati)

This is Ms. Messersmith, one of our best customers."

"Hello," said Eva, shaking Ms. Messersmith's hand in her own cold one. The woman
wore a heavy squash-blossom necklace over her black silk blouse. Her face was
sharp and she didn't smile. She avoided looking at Eva after the first glance,
turning back to Mrs. Rougier.

"Eva is a very promising new artist," smiled Mrs. Rougier. Large silver earrings
flashed out through her auburn hair. "Let's see what you've brought, shall we?"
She led them over to the desk, where Eva unwrapped her carving.

It was a fawn. A beautiful baby, lifting innocent eyes to a new world. Eva had
let the wood's own dappling form its markings, brought the whorls to life in
shaping muscle. She smiled softly at it, looking up from its nest of paper.

"Very pretty." Ms. Messersmith sounded bored.

"Why, yes, Eva, it's lovely," said Mrs. Rougier.

Eva looked from one woman to the other, her heart sinking. "You don't like it."

"No, it's very good," said Mrs. Rougier, with a glance at her client. "It's just
not the style Ms. Messersmith is looking for. We'll show it, of course. Heather,
make out a consignment slip for it."

The pretty girl nodded and placed a form in her typewriter. Eva resisted the
impulse to snatch up the carving again.

"Ms. Messersmith is looking for a piece for her foyer --"

"Something that reflects the desert -- savage, stark. My home is designed to
capture that feeling."

Eva nodded. She could imagine Ms. Messersmith's home; had seen pictures of such
homes in magazines. All angles and skylights, with freestanding adobe walls
inside, built only to display expensive interpretations of the desert's
starkness.

"Perhaps you're working on something along that line? We could stop by your
studio and see." said Mrs. Rougier.

A glimmer of interest appeared in Ms. Messersmith's eyes. Eva opened her mouth
to refuse, but Mrs. Rougier interrupted.

"Yes, why don't we, it would be lovely! Eva has a delightful little studio -- in
the older part of town."

In the poorer part of town, thought Eva, why don't you just say it. Aloud, she
said, "I don't have guests come there. I can bring a new carving here."