Briana. Ruth Langan

Читать онлайн книгу.

Briana - Ruth  Langan


Скачать книгу
saw a look come into his eyes. “Like you, my education abroad was chosen for me.”

      “And then you returned?”

      “Not immediately.”

      She smiled. “But you’re home now.”

      “Aye.” He didn’t return the smile. He had gone somewhere in his mind. A place, Briana realized, that wasn’t pleasing to him.

      They both seemed relieved when Vinson knocked, then entered to announce, “My lord, dinner is ready. Mistress Malloy wishes to know if you will take your meal in the great hall or here in the library.”

      He had intended a simple meal here in the library, so that the lass wouldn’t be drained by a longer walk. But now, glancing at the portrait over the mantel, he realized he wanted a change of scenery. He wanted, needed, to put some distance between himself and his past.

      “Tell Mistress Malloy we’ll sup in the great hall.”

      “Aye, my lord.”

      The old man took his leave, and Keane stood and offered his arm. “Come, my lady. It’s time you saw more of Carrick House.”

      It was, he realized, his first opportunity to show off his home to a guest

       Chapter Five

      “You’ll let me know when you grow weary, Briana.” Keane deliberately kept his strides easy, the pace slow so as not to tire her.

      “I will, aye.” She was grateful for the strong arm to lean on. “This weakness is most distressing.”

      “It will soon pass, and you’ll be as you were before.”

      She looked up at him with an impish smile. “Do I have your word on that?”

      His own features remained impassive. “You do.” He thought about touching that cap of curls and resisted the impulse. “Now tell me how you were before.”

      “Before the attack? Or before the convent?”

      “Why don’t we begin with your life before the attack.”

      “Before the attack I had learned, at great cost, how to keep my head bowed in chapel, how to keep my thoughts to myself, and how to bear the unbearable.”

      Though she kept her tone light, he could detect the underlying sadness. “What was this great cost?”

      “Penance. It seemed I was always on my knees. If not in chapel, then scrubbing the cold stone floors of the refectory. And when I was allowed to stand, it was to harvest a crop or to fork dung from the barns and stables.”

      He couldn’t hide his surprise. “You did all that?”

      “Aye. But only after my classes and chores were completed to the liking of Mother Superior.”

      “I’d say you were far from weak, if you did all that and survived.”

      “I survived all that, and more.”

      He knew, by the finality of her tone, that she had no intention of listing all that she’d been through. His admiration for her was growing by the minute.

      “Now I would like to hear about your life before the convent.”

      She smiled. “That would take hours.”

      He paused at the threshold to the great hall. “We have all evening.”

      As he led her to the table, the butler, the housekeeper and their army of servants stood to one side, awaiting his command.

      Keane helped Briana to her chair, then took his place at the head of the table.

      Briana surveyed the table, with its gleaming silver and crystal and the masses of candles that flickered and glowed. “Oh, Mistress Malloy, this is indeed lovely.”

      The housekeeper nearly burst with pride. “Thank you, miss. We do our best to please.”

      “I haven’t seen anything this grand in years.” Briana turned to Keane. “Isn’t it wonderful knowing this awaits you each night?”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEAYABgAAD/4Rl7RXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAABgAAAAAQAAAGAAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDEyOjEw OjEzIDEzOjAxOjAxAAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAQABAACgAgAEAAAAAQAAAg2gAwAEAAAAAQAAArwAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAAYTQAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAf/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAYAMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAb/xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMi cYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj 80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcG BTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kST VKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/ 2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AC9bo+sNH1i6pV0a/IrtvsFv2fHsjeXtafVcX2+hj27K9tTHU2WZNXqf6L06 pV9X6hbkUinMurpY6xhaMu12Zvraaz69WU6zBu/TBz/5in/Q+lV/PKP15tdi9byaw0ivIY31XSxh 3vhuMTY0tyvstldb8ez1N+P636Nnp2rl78jIpxWG511OSGMLiAW6e1ltdVbvUsez0bMbZb6lSzic kpECRj6pCPWX7reiICIJHFoL6Po3TczqFFRYOsF8vc4jJqL3hpLtgDnFu39Hs3/mb/oUqxZ9oudN nWL7bC6Kqqmei066Mb9n222P/ruXCYn1q6ixoI6m+k1wGV2Y9p08D6dFjf8AOWhhfXW3EyKrsjMG Xj0uBdjV0Xtc5o3fzb7cVjPVa5/qe+yv/jEhi52xEjJw3VjHmUfZ1IEb8ZY/+9exdgZxs3V5edQG j2lu+3Wdfbk7q3f9toox/rJbTtPUBXWWlr7bKG12k/R31NY53p/2mrkf+e31TG3bg9SbssrtaBVW AHVWnLr2t+ixnrndsYo2fXj6tupdW3G6qHPYanu9Kv31uc626i1jH1NdXc99m936O+v1LPs11Kuw 5WYOpzEf3ZsEpWNIw/5j1tOL9YsWitrepDJo2mLRULLTOod7ne9jJ/4WxQGF1Fz22W52be4/T9rq WxH+DZi7G/SXLD6+fV+wN+10dWyfTcTRvqraa2uFQ9LdVZ+la30Pz/3/ANL6n84pD67/AFQItD+n 9Se2+1+RY1zJBtsGx7xFu5nt/m66/wBHVb+nr/WP0qU+VmTQOYDwjk/71UZ9TGF/4D0P6Vj3up6x fRcxxBY/9OwR+bazJ3+P0mbEPqed1G3HuqZ1gMLgfSNNWyyRxNgc727vp7PT2f8ACLlrvrk+2663 EyziUPc306cii19sNqqxC+91GNZTvu9Jz/ZYquT9as8gub1V73fQ2Mxrh7Bx9Oln0oVOWHnQTGIy cNkAnHmlcWcezoSI3vpLGNf8V1svq2ZRkWPfn3Ox21g2NyMm2vIcA5zP1SjDdiU0vdSd2/IZZ/g3 +nb/ADSF0uj6w3/WLp1PVrsl7asr1qcfJs3bWtFllVm5loZbkei136B+My30WfaP9PXbzGPlvudY N19mQ8PdimNWuYBDbKNLX1232t93qeoz/R2Vro/qK+/I61h0WM/R4wcRBY/bc0brY9V78plFdTtj /Q/Q/aLvRus+ggPdhIRlIn1ASv0y/d/xlHgIJA4dDXV//9DV6306636wdUxrch+RjuZVmVUPMhhM 131N/O/wdXpu/wBH+iXIdYxmkC6sn1BW99gcNGucMT0/630v3V3u5tvUOu3vO65j21l7ddrGk1tZ /I9vv9/01yf1nbXSzY0+p7CQCA1zAG4Z77H/AKT/AIu1ZsT/AEuhoDL9vC3wP1OvQD/uZOCa+pyf 09P/AG2UvSzD/OOof5hr2H/o+3/oqZyNT7fxTfaR+7+K62j/ACLTsMTTaAT7IHm7/wAgrNnSOo1k B1bDLS6WF7gABu922v2/RQbLXVgC2ssDhpu0kEA+2R+69qsjqnUnWANdYbY3gBrd0bHsNm0V/wDc d1m9/wDokjxdKRo1z0/OBg0kGYgh8zG+P5v9z3oYot/kf5zv/IK0eu5xsFpvcbBEPlm7QbB7tn7n s/qKsMpgAAAjgahIcXX8FaLGrLH826ln8pwe8/jtZ/0U3p9T/wBPT/22VP7R/J/FL7R/J/FKimw3 cLELr8N95DnPx79xY0gOe3Ip2j2xt9rmLd+qQe/qfSKBdZQyy7JusY07RZ6DWuqa/wBv6Tc6x7/+ L9ar/SLGxXvNnTjW/wBEvpyJeNu6BfT7Rv

Скачать книгу