"Quintin, Jardine - Gallery Whispers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Quintin Jardine)

He smiled at her concern: a small, sad smile. 'No, no; not her. That

was a long time ago, and she's dead. She never really existed, in fact.'
'Ah but she did. And so did her brother. Once or twice ... no, more
than that . . . I've wakened in the night thinking of him, and had to
hang on to you, to drive the fright away.'
'Nonetheless, they're in the past.'
'So?' she demanded. 'What's bugging you?'
'Nothing,' he insisted. 'I just can't sleep.'
No one could snort like Alex. 'Andy Martin,' she exclaimed, as she
propped herself up on both elbows. 'You are one of the world's great
sleepers. If you are lying awake in the dark, there is some reason for
it. Come on, out with it.'
He reached out his left hand to cup her breast, but she shied away
from him. 'That won't work. Tell me, what's the problem?'
He looked into her eyes. 'I think we might be.'
She frowned, quickly. 'Rubbish,' she said at once, but there was a
defensiveness in her voice which proved she didn't believe her own
denial.
He reached out his hand again, touching her forehead as if to rub
away the frown lines. 'Alexis Skinner,' he whispered. 'You can tell me
all night that there's nothing wrong, but you still won't make either of
us believe it. I'm afraid ... and I mean that literally, because it does
scare me ... that you and I are losing our way.
'When we got together, we had a shared vision of what we wanted:
each other, above all else. I still feel that way. If I had to I'd give up
everything I have, and walk away from everything I've achieved, just
to be with you.
'But you've changed.'
'I haven't,' she protested. 'I love you just as much as I always did.
I want you just as much.'
'Then why do you keep changing your mind about marrying me?'
'I haven't. Anyway, that's not the issue.'
He grunted. 'No, it's not, is it. It's the issue that's the issue.'
'Ah, now we're getting to it.' She fired back at him, suddenly.
'You're still on about the baby thing. I thought we'd agreed that we'd
start thinking about a family in five years.'
'Aye,' he said, 'but there's a basic principle wrapped up in there,
isn't there, about levels of commitment to each other.'
Her frown was back. 'Ah,' she countered. 'Andy says that he'd walk
away from everything for Alex, so she must say the same thing. Is that
it?' It was his turn to look defensive. 'That's sentimental, emotional,
hypothetical crap, and not worthy of you. You've had achievements;
you've got a successful career that you say you'd give up for love;
well, good for you, boy. But surely I'm entitled to some professional
fulfilment of my own? Or are you really and truly saying that you
expect me to put aside all my ambitions to satisfy your need to extend
your line?'
'Hey, hey,' he soothed her. 'I'm not saying that at all. Apart from
your dad, there's no one who thinks more of your ability and your