JК
Sharpes Havoc :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 68 из 242Sharpe could see the green coats and the pink facings and the straight swords and the brown cloth covers on their polished helmets, then he saw the horsemen curbing theirmounts as Christopher and Olivier emerged from Vila Real de Zedes. Sharpe gave the telescope to Harper. „Why would that greasy bugger be talking to the Crapauds?”
„God knows, sir,” Harper said.
„So watch ‘em, Pat, watch ‘em,” Sharpe said, „and if they come any closer, let me know.” He walked into the Quinta, giving the huge front door a perfunctory knock. Lieutenant Vicente was already in the entrance hall, staring with doglike devotion at Kate Savage who was now evidently Kate Christopher. Sharpe took off his shako and ran a hand through his newly cut hair. „Your husband has gone to talk to the French,” he said, and saw the frown of disapproval on Kate’s face and wondered if that was because Christopher was talking to the French or because she was being addressed by Sharpe. „Why?” he asked.
„You must ask him, Lieutenant,” she said.
„My name’s Sharpe.”
„I know your name,” Kate said coldly.
„Richard to my friends.”
„It is good to know you possess some friends, Mister Sharpe,” Kate said. She looked at him boldly and Sharpe thought what a beauty she was. She had the sort efface that painters immortalized in oils and it was no wonder that Vicente’s band of earnest poets and philosophers had worshipped her from afar.
„So why is Colonel Christopher talking to the Frogs, ma’am?”
Kate blinked in surprise, not because her husband was talking with the enemy, but because, for the first time, she had been called ma’am. „I told you, Lieutenant,” she said with some asperity, „you must ask him.”
Sharpe walked around the hall. He admired the curving marble stairway, gazed up at a fine tapestry that showed huntresses pursuing a stag, then looked at two busts in opposing niches. The busts had evidently been imported by the late Mister Savage, for one portrayed John Milton and the other was labeled John Bunyan. „I was sent to fetch you,” he said to Kate, still staring at Bunyan.
„To fetch me, Mister Sharpe?”
„A Captain Hogan ordered me to find you,” he told her, „and take you back to your mother. She was worried about you.”
Kate blushed, „My mother has no cause to worry. I have a husband now.”
„Now?” Sharpe said. „You were married this morning? That’s what we saw in the church?”
„Is it any of your business?” Kate demanded fiercely. Vicente looked crestfallen because he believed Sharpe was bullying the woman he so silently adored.
„God knows, sir,” Harper said.
„So watch ‘em, Pat, watch ‘em,” Sharpe said, „and if they come any closer, let me know.” He walked into the Quinta, giving the huge front door a perfunctory knock. Lieutenant Vicente was already in the entrance hall, staring with doglike devotion at Kate Savage who was now evidently Kate Christopher. Sharpe took off his shako and ran a hand through his newly cut hair. „Your husband has gone to talk to the French,” he said, and saw the frown of disapproval on Kate’s face and wondered if that was because Christopher was talking to the French or because she was being addressed by Sharpe. „Why?” he asked.
„You must ask him, Lieutenant,” she said.
„My name’s Sharpe.”
„I know your name,” Kate said coldly.
„Richard to my friends.”
„It is good to know you possess some friends, Mister Sharpe,” Kate said. She looked at him boldly and Sharpe thought what a beauty she was. She had the sort efface that painters immortalized in oils and it was no wonder that Vicente’s band of earnest poets and philosophers had worshipped her from afar.
„So why is Colonel Christopher talking to the Frogs, ma’am?”
Kate blinked in surprise, not because her husband was talking with the enemy, but because, for the first time, she had been called ma’am. „I told you, Lieutenant,” she said with some asperity, „you must ask him.”
Sharpe walked around the hall. He admired the curving marble stairway, gazed up at a fine tapestry that showed huntresses pursuing a stag, then looked at two busts in opposing niches. The busts had evidently been imported by the late Mister Savage, for one portrayed John Milton and the other was labeled John Bunyan. „I was sent to fetch you,” he said to Kate, still staring at Bunyan.
„To fetch me, Mister Sharpe?”
„A Captain Hogan ordered me to find you,” he told her, „and take you back to your mother. She was worried about you.”
Kate blushed, „My mother has no cause to worry. I have a husband now.”
„Now?” Sharpe said. „You were married this morning? That’s what we saw in the church?”
„Is it any of your business?” Kate demanded fiercely. Vicente looked crestfallen because he believed Sharpe was bullying the woman he so silently adored.