"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 15 - Spectrum of a Forgotten Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

Chapter Two
 She was tall with a mane of auburn hair, and seeing her as she stood
before the window, Dumarest felt a momentary shock of recognition.

Kalin?

Then she turned and he saw her face and eyes, green as Kalin's had
been, but the similarity ended there. The hair lacked the inbred flame of
the woman be had once known and the face was not the same. It was
older and bore the stamp of a harsh determination, a feral intentness
accentuated by the concavity of the cheeks beneath prominent bone. The
mouth was wide, the lips full, parted a little now to reveal the predatory
curve of sharp, white teeth.

She said, sharply, "You know me?"

"No, my lady."

"Your eyes. I thoughtтАФbut never mind." To the guard standing
behind Dumarest she snapped, "Wait outside."

"Madam, my ordersтАФ"

"Were surely not to insult me. Now do as I say." As the door closed
behind the man she smiled and extended her hand. "Earl Dumarest.
From what I hear you are something unusual. I'm glad of that in a
universe of mediocrity how refreshing it is to find the unique. Do you
know what all this is about?"

"You are to tell me."

"Yes, of course. Well, sit down and take things easy while you may.
Some wine?"

The room was in a hotel close to the field, a place of luxury untouched
by the recent conflict. Only the ruins far to one side told of what had
happened. As she busied herself with a bottle and glasses, Dumarest,
ignoring the invitation to sit, crossed to the window and looked outside.
It was close to dusk, the sun touching the horizon, yet activity had not
diminished. Uniformed men guided and controlled traffic and
pedestrians; gangs of workers cleared rubble and demolished shattered
structures. They worked hard; within a few more days the city would be
almost back to normal. Within a few months new buildings would have
replaced the old, fresh trees taking the place of those now standing like
shattered teeth.

"To the victor the spoils," said the woman at his side, where she had
come to stand. Her voice was deep, almost masculine, rendered truly