"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 12 - Eloise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

Shaking his head he looked directly at her, studying her as he
had done a thousand times before; more conscious now than at
any time before of the influence she had had on him, the way in
which she had altered his perception. Conscious, too, of her
beauty which sat framed in the arms of the chair.

She was tall, thin fabrics covering the long, lithe lines of her
figure; the material enhancing the swelling contours of hip and
thigh, the narrowness of her waist, the twin prominences of her
breasts. Her neck was slender, her face strong with finely set
bone; the eyes deep, watchful beneath thick and level brows.
Tonight she had dressed her hair in a rising crest which exposed
the tiny ears, the gems at their lobes, more gems glittering in the
ebon mane. The nails of her high-arched feet naked in thin
sandals were painted a flaring crimson; the color matching that
on her fingers, her lips.

Hard as he searched he could find no trace of the trepidation
which surely must possess her, the mounting dread which
threatened to engulf him.

An animal, he decided, and envied her the cool self-possession
which clung to her like a cloud. A strong, female animal who
should have borne many childrenтАФhe was disturbed by the train
of thought. In Instone, such things were not the province of those
who lived under the aegis of Camolsaer.

Camolsaer!

It was all around, everywhere, watching, calculating,
omniscientтАФinescapable!

He felt the sudden dryness in his mouth and looked longingly
at the wine, yet the formalities had to be observed.

Stiffly he said, "My thanks, Eloise, for your invitation. This is
not a good time to be alone."

"Then why suffer it?"

A question which she had asked before, many times; and to
which, as now, he could find no answer. Because it had always
been so. Because things did not change. Because instilled pride
maintained the composure which was a part of his heritage.
Why were her questions so direct? The answers so difficult to
find?

Weakly he said, "You are a stranger. You would not
understand."