"Nancy Springer - Chains Of Gold" - читать интересную книгу автора (Springer Nancy)

I lowered my gaze; I could not bear to meet the soft look of those marvelous green eyes.

тАЬWho are you? How have you come here? Has someone mistreated you? Perchance we can set it to
rights.тАЭ He waited for my answer, and when none came he muttered, тАЬBy the holy oak, you are half
naked.тАЭ He took off his cloak and put it around my shoulders. тАЬWe will find you some clothing. Are you
hungry?тАЭ Again he waited patiently for a reply. тАЬLass, will you not tell me who you are?тАЭ

I glanced up at him, biting my lip, not knowing what to say to him who was doomed to the. He met my
look with a puzzled stare that melted after a moment into something warmer, a nearly trancelike gaze, and
I answered it in like wise. Neither of us moved when Lonn came over to stand beside us, and he had to
touch ArlenтАЩs arm to rouse him.

тАЬArlen of the Sacred Isle,тАЭ he said in a carefully level voice, тАЬmay I present Cerilla, daughter of Rahv of
the Seven Holds and Lady of Tower Stane.тАЭ

Arlen seemed stunned. тАЬLonn was right,тАЭ he murmured. Then he stepped back from me with a tight, hurt
look. тАЬLonn was right,тАЭ he said more calmly. тАЬYou have a lover; you were running away.тАЭ

тАЬNo, my lord, it is not that at all!тАЭ Distressed, I spoke more than was my wont. тАЬIt is onlyтАФlord, please
understand. My father cares nothing for my happiness. He gave my sister Rina to that toad Eachan, who
killed her in his ill humorтАФтАЭ I stopped, gulping with emotion. тАЬLord,тАЭ I appealed, тАЬhow was I to know
that you are comely and kind?тАЭ

For some reason he winced, yet he stood silent.

тАЬSurely I have no desire to see you slain, eat your fleshтАФтАЭ

The most horrible of the many horrors. He shuddered, but I felt suddenly calm, even bold.

тАЬBut I would gladly lie with you,тАЭ I told him, with a proud lift of my chin so that I faced him more
squarely.

тАЬYou do me great honor, lady,тАЭ he said softly. тАЬButтАФthe one thing goes with the other.тАЭ

тАЬI know.тАЭ

тАЬIt would be only the once, a single hour in the afternoon, and thenтАФthe bond is for life; the goddess
sees to that.тАЭ

тАЬI know.тАЭ

тАЬI will find you boots, clothing, gold,тАЭ he said. тАЬGo, flee, save yourself.тАЭ

тАЬLeave you to face it alone?тАЭ I cried, with a passion that startled me. тАЬBut they will punish you!тАЭ

He threw back his marvelous head and laughed, a wild, ringing sound. тАЬWhat can they do to me that
they have not already planned?тАЭ he cried gaily.

тАЬBoth of you go,тАЭ said Lonn, his tone vehement, and Arlen quieted.