"Andre Norton & Rosemary Edghill - Carolus Rex 1 - The Shadow of Albion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

gathered around the slender, sailcloth-wrapped bundle awaiting its final disposition
and tried not to feel terror at the thought of her future. At last the brief service was
over and the chain-weighted bundle was tipped over the side, to vanish in the Lady
Brights wake. Mrs. Kennet had been the agency by whose aid Sarah had come this
far; to lose her to a sudden fatal fever only days before reaching her goal was a cruel
blow. Now Sarah was alone once more, this time thousands of miles from the only
home she had ever known.
тАЮMiss Cunningham? Are you all right?тАЬ Once again Sarah was summoned back to
the present, this time by Captain Challoner.
She smiled sadly, hoping her face showed the appropriate emotion for the
occasion. Among the Cree, it was considered the height of rudeness to wear your
feelings plainly upon your face, forcing everyone you passed to share them. Joy and
sorrow alike were private things.
But the Cree and her freedom were both long-lost to her, and she must make the
best of her fate.
тАЮThe loss of your companion grieves us all deeply,тАЬ Captain Challoner told Sarah
dutifully. тАЮMrs. Kennet was a gallant lady and her passing is a sad thing.тАЬ
тАЮYou have been very kind, Captain Challoner,тАЬ Sarah said, wondering where this
conversation might be leading.
тАЮI should not like to think you any more bereft than you must now be, and so I
hope you will forgive my inquisitiveness, Miss Cunningham, if I ask you what
provision has been made for you once we dock?тАЬ
тАЮProvision?тАЬ Sarah echoed blankly, while a carefully tutored part of her reminded
her that she sailed to England, the Old World, where even what circumspect mobility
she had been permitted in the last few months of her residence in Baltimore was
considered wanton freedom. In England no young lady of gentle breeding went
anywhere alone; constantly accompanied by maid, chaperone, or family member,
she was watched every moment until the time came to award her in marriage to some
privileged scion of entitlement and perquisite, when matronhood would confer upon
her very little more freedom than she had enjoyed as an unmarried girl.
тАЮYou were traveling with Mrs. Kennet, were you not? Who will accompany you
now?тАЬ the Captain pursued, a note of worried concern in his voice.
тАЮI shall тАУ I am being met; pray excuse me,тАЬ Sarah said quickly. Before Captain
Challoner could stop her, she pulled her cloak tightly around her and fled to the
solitude of her tiny cabin.

***
Fool тАУ lackwit тАУ cloudhead тАУ Sarah berated herself in the strongest language she
knew, standing trembling in the center of the tiny accommodation she had shared
with her benefactress. Captain Challoner was honesdy concerned for her welfare тАУ
there was no cause to flee him as if he were an entire English press-gang in himself!
Only his concern would mew her up with companions and chaperones, and in
providing so much help he would certainly be entithed to the whole of her story тАУ
and Sarah, who now faced the sickening certainty that she had crossed the ocean
with no more incentive than a bag of moonshine, could not bear the thought of
making the Captain a present of her foolishness.
Calming herself by degrees, Sarah sat down on the hard narrow bunk and pulled
her traveling-case to her. Lining out the topmost tray, she withdrew the stiff packet
of folded vellum sheets and opened them to read them again. As she did so, the faint
sunny odor of orange blossom that still clung to the pages wafted up from them, and