"Christopher Stasheff - Warlocks Heirs 01 - M'Lady Witch" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

"Of course they have not." With friendly exasperation, Geoffrey explained, "Who among your courtiers would dare to defeat the Heir Apparent,
Alain?"


Alain stared. "You do not mean they have let me win!"


"Certainly they did! Would any man in the Court dare to antagonize the future King, whose favor will determine each man's fortune?"


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 M'Lady Witch


Alain looked away, numb and confounded. "I had thought myself the epitome of courtesy and chivalry!"


"Well, mayhap in your daily conduct." Geoffrey relented. "Yet surely not when you are angered. Your speech with my sister was somewhat less
than charming, Alain." The Prince looked up again, alarmed. "Less! How rude was I, Geoffrey? I came so filled with enthusiasm and excitement
that I may, ah, have overlooked the niceties."


"Niceties?" Geoffrey grinned. "Forsooth, Alain! You did not send word of your coming, you did not ask to be admitted, you virtually commanded
the lady to appear and, worse, informed her that she was your choice! A lover should plead and sue, not command!"


"Should he indeed?" Alain stared. "I know naught of this."


"That," Geoffrey said drily, "is somewhat apparent" Alain's gaze wandered again. "I had never thought to court a lady! Princes' marriages are
arranged for them; I did not think to have choice, nor to have to woo, and therefore never learned the way of it."


"No, you surely have not." Geoffrey felt a stab of sympathy for his friend. "A lad does not dictate nor condescend to the lady whom he loves, Alain,
and well she knows it. She must be sure that he yearns for her so greatly that he will cherish her always."


Alain frowned, puzzled. "How do you know so much of it?"


Geoffrey answered with a knowing grin. "Ah, well, my friend, I am not a Prince, nor do I have so exalted a sense of forbearance as you seem to
have."


"You do not mean that you have courted ladies!"


"Well, not ladies," Geoffrey allowed. "With them, I have only flirted, stealing no more than a kiss or two. With ladies of one's own station, one is