JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 59 из 242She was, he thought, the most beautiful girl in creation and charmingly modest for she blushed and laughed with embarrassment when he stared at her. „Kate, Kate,” he said chidingly, „I shall spend all my years looking at you.”
Her hair was black and she wore it drawn back from her high forehead, but with a pair of deep curls hanging where the French hussars wore their cadenettes. She had a full mouth, a small nose, and eyes that were touchingly serious at one moment and sparkling with amusement the next. She was nineteen years old, leggy as a colt, full of life and trust and, at this moment, full of love for her handsome man, who was dressed in a plain black coat, white riding breeches and a cocked hat from which hung two golden tassels. „Did you see my mother?” she asked.
„I left her promising that I would search for you.”
Kate looked guilty. „I should have told her… „
„Your mother will want you to marry some man of property who is safe in England,” Christopher said, „not some adventurer like me.” The real reason Kate’s mother would disapprove was because she had hoped to marry Christopher herself, but then the Colonel had discovered the terms of Mr. Savage’s will and had turned his attention to the daughter. „It would do no good to ask her blessing,” he went on, „and if you had told her what we planned then she would most certainly have stopped us.”
„She might not,” Kate suggested in a small voice.
„But this way,” Christopher said, „your mother’s disapproval does not matter, and when she knows we are married then I am persuaded she will learn to like me.”
„Married?”
„Of course,” Christopher said. „You think I do not care for your honor?” He laughed at the shy look on her face. „There is a priest in the village,” he went on, „who I am sure can be persuaded to marry us.”
„I am not… „Kate said, then she brushed at her hair and tugged at her dress, and blushed deeper.
„You are ready,” Christopher anticipated her protest, „and you look enchantingly beautiful.”
Kate blushed more deeply and plucked at the neckline of her dress which she had chosen very carefully from among the summer frocks stored in the Quinta. It was an English dress of white linen, embroidered with bluebells entwined with acanthus leaves, and she knew it suited her. „My mother will forgive me?” she asked.
Christopher very much doubted it. „Of course she will,” he promised her. „I’ve known such situations before.
Her hair was black and she wore it drawn back from her high forehead, but with a pair of deep curls hanging where the French hussars wore their cadenettes. She had a full mouth, a small nose, and eyes that were touchingly serious at one moment and sparkling with amusement the next. She was nineteen years old, leggy as a colt, full of life and trust and, at this moment, full of love for her handsome man, who was dressed in a plain black coat, white riding breeches and a cocked hat from which hung two golden tassels. „Did you see my mother?” she asked.
„I left her promising that I would search for you.”
Kate looked guilty. „I should have told her… „
„Your mother will want you to marry some man of property who is safe in England,” Christopher said, „not some adventurer like me.” The real reason Kate’s mother would disapprove was because she had hoped to marry Christopher herself, but then the Colonel had discovered the terms of Mr. Savage’s will and had turned his attention to the daughter. „It would do no good to ask her blessing,” he went on, „and if you had told her what we planned then she would most certainly have stopped us.”
„She might not,” Kate suggested in a small voice.
„But this way,” Christopher said, „your mother’s disapproval does not matter, and when she knows we are married then I am persuaded she will learn to like me.”
„Married?”
„Of course,” Christopher said. „You think I do not care for your honor?” He laughed at the shy look on her face. „There is a priest in the village,” he went on, „who I am sure can be persuaded to marry us.”
„I am not… „Kate said, then she brushed at her hair and tugged at her dress, and blushed deeper.
„You are ready,” Christopher anticipated her protest, „and you look enchantingly beautiful.”
Kate blushed more deeply and plucked at the neckline of her dress which she had chosen very carefully from among the summer frocks stored in the Quinta. It was an English dress of white linen, embroidered with bluebells entwined with acanthus leaves, and she knew it suited her. „My mother will forgive me?” she asked.
Christopher very much doubted it. „Of course she will,” he promised her. „I’ve known such situations before.