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

Finally he did so, telling her the story of his reunion with his father. He told her of the
increased hatred his brother felt for him, and how he seemed determined to turn their
father against him. Pias chose, however, not to say anything about the equally
disturbing encounter he'd had with Gitana.

Yvette repeated what Yuri had told her about Tas, which only increased Pias's
depression. "I never even got the chance to explain about you," he moaned. "All my
father knows is that you're a gadji-it's a derogatory term for women not of our own
people. The sickness must be worse than I thought; my father's always been
tradition-bound, but he's at least been open-minded about people. I didn't tell you,
because I didn't want to worry you, but I knew he would be less than pleased about our
engagement at first; I had thought that some gentle persuasion would be able to
change his mind. That's why I wanted you to come here and meet him; I was sure that
as soon as he got to know you, he'd see how wonderful you are. But now..."

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just don't know anything. It's as
though there's been a slow poison at work on his brain, and I suspect its name is Tas."

Yvette held him gently and did what she could to soothe him until it was time to change
for dinner. It turned out that all the clothing she'd brought with her was inappropriate for
Newforest society; she settled on a yellow tunic-suit as being the best of the lot. Pias,
as always, looked dashing in brown slacks and a flowing shirt that had been
hand-embroidered for him by his late mother.

Yvette wanted to enter the dining room arm in arm with him, but Pias thought it might be
more diplomatic, considering his father's present feelings, if they did not show too much
public affection at once. They walked in side by side and sat down next to one another
at the long, crowded table.

A few of the people there were quite friendly. Pias introduced Yvette-whom he called
his friend-to his sisters. The youngest one, a teenager named Beti, was pleasant and
friendly, but the two older ones, both married to men Pias had privately described as
louts, were stiff and formal. Others at the main table were also relatives, mostly uncles
and aunts who also served as the duke's advisors; the family unit was very strong on
Newforest, Pias had explained, and nepotism was not only taken for granted, it was
expected.

Very few of the other relatives showed Yvette anything more than surface politeness.
She guessed that brother Tas had been busily at work poisoning their minds against
her before she'd even had a chance to defend herself. Pias's homecoming, which
should have been a joyous occasion, was quickly turning into a nightmare.

The chair at the head of the table, where the duke would normally have sat, was
conspicuously empty, and had been, Beti told them, since the old man's illness began.
Nevertheless, proper deference was shown to the duke's place, and every so often a
diner would nod his head out of respect toward the empty chair.

Yvette had never felt quite as out of place anywhere as she did here, but she resolved
not to show it. Her strong social upbringing in a noble family enabled her to ignore the