"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 30 - Symbol of Terra" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

"Isn't it enough?"

"Of course, but others I've known here on Lychen have several names."

"Nobles. Those aspiring to rank and position. They add names to each
other like pearls." Her shrug dismissed the importance of labels. "And
you?" She smiled as he told her. "Earl Dumarest. I shall call you Earl. Were
you born here on Lychen?"

"No more than you." He reached out and rested his fingers on her hand.
The skin was soft and warm. "Which is your home world, Govinda?"

"I don't know." She met his eyes and answered the question she read
there. "I had no real family and must have been passed around. I
remember Yakimov. I did most of my growing there. After a while I moved
to Kremer, then to Habralova then to other worlds. Finally I came here."

"To stay with Chenault?"

"He looks after me, yes." She withdrew her hand from beneath his
fingers. "What do you want with him?"

"To talk."

"Just that?"

"Are you worried I'll hurt him? Is that why you tracked me and tried to
knock me out?" Dumarest shook his head and smiled. "You said he looked
after you. I think it's the other way around. But why should he need
looking after at all?"

She said, "You want to talk. What about?"

"I'll tell him that."

"You can tell me and I'll tell him. Then, if he wants to see you, he will."

"And if he doesn't?" Dumarest let the question hang. "Surely he doesn't
live here alone aside from you. There must be others."

"There are."

"In the house?"

"You talk too much, Earl, and say too little. Just what do you want with
Chenault? To talk, you say, but how can I believe that?" She met his eyes,
her own direct. "Why didn't you call ahead to arrange an interview? Why
steal into the valley like a thief? How did you get here, anyway? I saw no
raft."