"Wen Spencer - Brothers Price" - читать интересную книгу автора (Spencer Wen)

There were a few advantages to being a boy in a society dominated by women. One. Jerin Whistler
thought, was that you could throttle your older sister, and everyone would say, тАЬShe was one of
twenty-eight girlsтАФa middle sisterтАФand a troublemaker too, and heтАФheтАЩs a boy,тАЭ and that would be
the end of it.

Certainly if a sister deserved to be strangled, it was Corelle. She was idly flipping through a magazine
showing the latest in menтАЩs fashions while he tried to stuff a thirty-pound goose, comfort a youngest sister
with a boo-boo knee, and feed their baby brother. Since their mothers and elder sisters had left the
middle sisters in charge of the farm, Corelle strutted about, with her six-guns tied low and the brim of her
Stetson pulled down so far it was amazing she could see. Worse, she started to criticize everything he
did, with an eye toward his coming of ageтАФwhen he would be sold into a marriage of his sistersтАЩ
choosing.

She had previously complained that he chapped his hands in hot wash water, that trying to read at night
would give him a squint, and that he should add scents to his bathwater. This morning it was his clothes.

тАЬMenтАЩs fashion magazines are a joke,тАЭ Jerin growled, trying to keep the goose from scooting across the
table as he shoved sage dressing into its cavity. If he hadnтАЩt spent years diapering his seventeen youngest
sisters and three little brothers, the goose might have gotten away from him. The massive, fat-covered
goose, however, was nothing compared with a determined Whistler baby. тАЬNo one but family ever sees
their menfolk! How do these editors know what men are wearing?тАЭ

тАЬThings are different with nobility,тАЭ Corelle countered, and held out the magazine. тАЬItтАЩs the whole point
to a Season: to be seen! Here. This is the pair I want you to make for yourself.тАЭ

Instead of good honest broadcloth trousers, the fashion plate showed kid-glove-tight pants with a
groin-hugging patch of bright colored fabric. Labeled underneath was Return of the codpiece: it allows
the future wives to see what they are buying.

Jerin wrestled the goose into their largest roasting pan. тАЬDonтАЩt even think it, Corelle. I wonтАЩt wear them.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩd like seeing you say that to Eldest.тАЭ

тАЬEldest knows better than to waste money on clothes no one will see.тАЭ Jerin worked the kitchen pump
to wash the goose fat from his hands. Much as he hated to admit it, CorelleтАЩs aim was dead-onтАФhe
wouldnтАЩt be able to face Eldest and say no. Two could play that game, though. тАЬEldest is going to be
pissed that you went to town and got that magazine. She told you to stay at the farm, close to the house.тАЭ

тАЬI didnтАЩt go to town, so there.тАЭ Corelle, nonetheless, closed the magazine up, realizing it was evidence of
a crime.

So where did she get it? Jerin swung the crying little girl holding on to his knees up onto the counter
beside the goose. It was Pansy, when he had thought it was Violet all this time. тАЬHey, hey, big girls donтАЩt
cry. Let me see the boo-boo. Corelle, at least feed Kai.тАЭ

Corelle eyed the sloppy baby playing in his oatmeal. тАЬWhy donтАЩt you call Doric? ItтАЩs boysтАЩ work. He
should be learning all this from you before you get married. Your birthday is only a few months
awayтАФand then youтАЩll be gone.тАЭ