"Sean Russell - River Into Darkness 1 - Beneath the Vaunted Hills" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Sean)

anything, he needed to make as many turns as he could to confound his hunters, and now that wasnтАЩt
possible. They might think heтАЩd scrambled over the iron fence into the park, keeping to darkness like any
criminal would, but the fence was so highтАж

He pressed on, fighting the urge to look backтАФa man who appeared to have pursuers would be noticed,
no question of that.

Men and women passed, arm in arm, chatting and laughing. A coach clattered by, a young man leaning
out its window, toasting the passersby theatrically; his drunken companions laughed and as one of them
tried to fill his glass, a crimson stream of wine splashed over the cobbles.

тАЬHayes?тАЭ someone called.

Hayes looked about wildly. Bloody blood and flames, someone was announcing his name to everyone on
the avenue!

тАЬSamual Hayes?тАЭ the voice came again; from the carriage, he realized. тАЬDriver! Heave to, man.тАЭ

Slowing, the carriage veered toward the curb, frightening pedestrians, clearly not in perfect control.
Hayes was not sure who had called to him, but he took one look back and made a dash for the
still-moving carriage. As he approached, the driver set it off again, laughing inanely, for it was another
young gentleman with the reins in hand. Hayes forced himself to sprint, and as the door swung open, he
reached out and grabbed the carriage, feeling hands take hold of him and drag him in where he sprawled
on the floor.

Half a dozen men his own age looked down at him, grinning. тАЬWhy, Samual Hayes,тАЭ one of them said,
тАЬhave a drink,тАЭ and proceeded to pour wine all over HayesтАЩ face.

тАЬHume!тАЭ Hayes managed, almost choking. He pushed himself up, fending off the bottle.

The young gentlemen were laughing madly.

тАЬAye, have another drink, Hayes.тАЭ Hume began tilting another bottle toward Hayes, but he managed to
push this one away, too.

тАЬFlames, Hume, but you came just in time. 1 was being chased by footpads.тАЭ

тАЬOn Spring Street?тАЭ someone said, clearly certain he was joking.

тАЬYouтАЩd have been better off with the footpads, IтАЩll wager,тАЭ someone laughed. тАЬWeтАЩre celebrating
HumeтАЩs impending demise. Marriage, that is.тАЭ

Hayes struggled up into a crouch and stared out the rear window. He could see them now, a group of
men at the run, but too far back to be distinguished. Too far back to catch them, that was certain.

тАЬBlood and flames,тАЭ Hume said, twisting around to look out. тАЬYou were serious.тАЭ

тАЬLetтАЩs go back and give them what-for,тАЭ someone called out. тАЬIтАЩve a rapier in here somewhere.тАЭ

тАЬNo!тАЭ Hayes said quickly. тАЬDrive on.тАЭ