"M. Rickert - Cold Fires" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rickert Mary)

slow. To walk beside her was a lesson in patience, as we traversed the distance to Ed who had taken to
pouring the tea with hands that quivered so badly the china sounded like wind chimes. How had these
two survived so long? In the distance, a cuckoo sang and I almost expected I would hear it again before
we reached our destination.

"'Goodness,├втВмтДв she said, when I finally stood beside the rocking chair, ├втВм┼УI've never known a young
man to walk so slowly.├втВмтДв She sat in the chair swiftly, and without any assistance on my part. I realized
she'd been keeping her pace to mine as I thought I was keeping mine to hers. I turned to take my own
seat and Ed grinned up at me, offering in his quivering hand, a chiming tea and saucer, which I quickly
took.

"'Mr. Delano is interested in Elizabeth,├втВмтДв Ed said as he extended another jangling cup and saucer to
her. She reached across and took it, leaning out of the chair in a manner I thought unwise.

"'What do you know about her?├втВмтДв she asked.

"'Mr. Emile Castor has made several, many, at least a thousand paintings of the same woman but nothing
near to the quality of this one. That's all I know. I don't know what she was to him. I don't know
anything.'

"Ed and Theresa both sipped their tea. A look passed between them. Theresa sighed. ├втВм╦ЬYou tell him,
Ed.'

"'It begins with Emile Castor arriving in town, a city man clear enough in his red roadster and with a
mustache.'

"'But pleasant.'

"'He knew his manners.'

"'He was a sincerely pleasant man.'

"'He drove up to the chapel and like the idiot he mostly was, turns his back on it and sets up his easel and
begins to try to paint the water down below.'

"'He wasn't an idiot. He was a decent man, and a good businessman. He just wasn't an artist.'

"'He couldn't paint water either.'

"'Well, water's difficult.'

"'Then it started to rain.'

"'You seem to get a lot.'

"'So finally he realizes there's a church right behind him and he packs up his puddle of paints and goes
inside.'

"'That's when he sees her.'