"E. E. Doc Smith - D' Alembert 5 -Appointment at Bloodstar" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith E. E. Doc)

had lived most-of his life here and knew how to use the lighting to best effect. Yvette
found herself wishing she'd at least worn a bright scarf or some flashy jewelry.

Hardly a word was spoken within the copter as the pilot flew them toward Pias's home.
The returning marquis was lost in his concern over his father, and his normally cheerful
expression was replaced by a somber one. Occasionally, when he appeared too wor-

ried, Yvette would reach out and squeeze his hand reassuringly; Pias would smile at
her and, for a moment or two, put his family troubles further back in his mind. Tas,
meanwhile, took in every detail with his deep set, glowing eyes. He said nothing, but the
emotions smoldering under the surface were more than obvious-and a little


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worrisome-to Yvette.

After a ten minute flight, the copter descended toward a spacious estate, well forested.
The house, though only two stories tall, was still the largest single building Yvette had
seen since her arrival. On any other world, she would have thought it the manor of
some prosperous baron or count; but here she correctly guessed it was the ducal home
of the reigning family of Newforest. Even the d'Alembert castle on DesPlaines, modest
though it was for such a structure, looked regal by comparison.

As the copter landed on a broad lawn in front of the manor, a handful of servants
dressed in motley came out to greet them; only the distinctive earrings they wore served
notice that they belonged to this particular household. Pias took Yvette's hand and led
her over to one of the servants, an older man with gray hair and laugh wrinkles around
his eyes. "Yuri, this is Yvette," Pias said in Empirese. "Take her and her things to the
best guest room available and see that she's comfortable. Is my father in his bedroom?"

The servant nodded, and Pias turned to Yvette. "I have to go see him at once. You
understand. Let Yuri make you comfortable, and I'll be back with you as soon as I can.
He speaks some Empirese, and you can trust him to answer any questions you have;
he's known me all my life and he's the closest friend I have in the Universe." So saying,
he kissed her quickly and raced into the building.

Yuri turned to Yvette and gave her a smile. The man was old-at least in his eighties-and
looked like nothing so much as a taller-than-average pixie. His smile and the youthful
gleam in his eyes, though, belied his age. Yvette decided on the spot that she liked this
man, and that Pias's faith in him had been well placed. She smiled back at him and
allowed him to carry her lighter suitcase; she insisted on carrying the heavier one her-

self. She could feel Tas's eyes focused on the back of her neck as she entered the
building, leaving him behind.

What she could see of the inside of the manor was as unprepossessing as the outside.
Even the largest of the formal rooms would not have held more than forty or fifty
people, and all were decorated to give a feeling of homey comfort rather than ducal