"Jo Walton - Farthing" - читать интересную книгу автора (Walton Jo)

With the engine off, the bird-song seemed very loud. A nearby but invisible blackbird chirruped, тАЬLook
at me. Look at me. This is my territтАЩry.тАЭ He was answered by other birds seeking mates, building nests,
or defending their boundaries. They stilled to silence when they heard the clang of Royston shaking the
gate, then started up again, for all the world as if they were gossiping about it. Royston started back
towards the car, shaking his head.

Carmichael stuck his head out of the open window. тАЬLetтАЩs give them a quick blast and see what that
roots out,тАЭ he said. Royston grinned. Carmichael leaned across the driverтАЩs seat and tapped out a quick
salute on the horn: тАЬPa pa pa paaaarp!тАЭ

The only immediate result was another avian hush, and Carmichael was about to try again when a
middle-aged woman came hurrying from the nearest cottage, wiping her hands on her apron. тАЬYouтАЩll be
the police,тАЭ she said. тАЬExcuse me not hearing you, but I was just getting dinner out.тАЭ As if to authenticate
her statement, the church clock suddenly chimed through its sequence and then struck noon. It was so
close that none of them could speak over the clamor.

тАЬIsnтАЩt that a bit loud?тАЭ Royston asked, taking his hands down from his ears.

тАЬOh, weтАЩre used to it,тАЭ the woman said. тАЬIt has to be that loud so they can hear it up at the house.тАЭ She
nodded towards the gates.

тАЬAre you the gatekeeper?тАЭ Carmichael asked.
She blinked. тАЬNoтАж and IтАЩm not rightly the gatekeeperтАЩs wife neither, because there hasnтАЩt been a
gatekeeper since my father died. The gates stand open, mostly. I was saying to Jem this morning that I
donтАЩt know when we shut them last.тАЭ

This confirmed CarmichaelтАЩs observation. He nodded. тАЬTheyтАЩre not closed even at night?тАЭ he asked.

тАЬNo, not for ever so long now,тАЭ she said. тАЬNot since my father died probably, the same year the old king
died.тАЭ

It was as Carmichael had thought. Anyone could have driven up to the house. The gravel held tracks.
The local police would have driven up it this morning, but it might be possible to find some evidence even
so. He got out of the car and stood beside Royston. тАЬSo, if youтАЩre not the gatekeeper, who are you?тАЭ he
asked the woman.

тАЬIтАЩm Betty,тАЭ she said, тАЬBetty Jordan. My husband Jem is the mechanic up at the big house.тАЭ

тАЬMechanic?тАЭ Royston asked, surprised.

тАЬHe keeps their cars and that going,тАЭ she said.

тАЬBut you have a key to the gate?тАЭ Carmichael asked.

тАЬYes, and the policeman from Winchester said youтАЩd be arriving and to let you in when you did,тАЭ she
said, brandishing a large iron key inset with a robin to match the robin on the gates. тАЬYou are the London
police, arenтАЩt you?тАЭ She took their silence for assent and went on immediately. тАЬIsnтАЩt it terrible, anarchists
murdering Sir James in his bed like that?тАЭ

тАЬAnd to think it might have been prevented if theyтАЩd only locked the gates,тАЭ Carmichael said, taking the