JК
Sharpes Battle :: Корнуэлл Бернард
Страница: 140 из 244It was obviously the bedroom of a substantial man and the room that a commanding officer, quartering his men in a small village, would naturally take as his own billet. "It's a big bed, my lady, too big for just one person," Sharpe said. "Are those wolf skins?"
Juanita said nothing.
Sharpe sighed. "You and Loup, eh? Am I right?"
She stared at him with dark resentful eyes, but still refused to speak.
"And all those days you went hunting alone," Sharpe said, "you were coming here to see Loup."
Again she refused to speak. The moonlight put half her face in shadow.
"And you opened the San Isidro's gate for Loup, didn't you?" Sharpe went on. "That's why he didn't attack the gatehouse. He wanted to make sure no harm came to you in the fighting. That's nice in a man, isn't it? Looking after his woman. Mind you, he can't have liked the thought of you and Lord Kiely. Or isn't Loup the jealous kind?"
"Kiely was usually too drunk," she said in a low voice.
"Found your tongue, have you? So now you can tell me what you were doing here."
"Go to hell, Captain."
The sound of boots in the street made Sharpe turn to the window to see that the men of the Real Companпa Irlandesa had arrived in the street below. "Donaju!" he shouted. "Into the kitchen here!" He turned back to the bed. "We've got company, my lady, so let's go and be sociable." He waited for her to stand up, then shook his head when she obstinately refused to move. "I'm not leaving you on your own, my lady, so you can either go downstairs on your own two feet or have me carry you."
She stood, straightened her uniform and tried to rearrange her hair. Then, followed by Sharpe, she went down into the candlelit kitchen where El Castrador, Donaju and Sergeant Major Noonan were standing by the table. They gaped at Juanita, then looked at Sharpe who did not feel inclined to offer an immediate explanation of the lady's presence. "Loup's gone," Sharpe told Donaju. "I've got Sergeant Harper making sure the place is empty, so why don't you have your lads man the defences? Just in case Brigadier Loup decides to come back."
Donaju glanced at Juanita, then turned on Noonan. "Sergeant Major? You heard the order. Do it."
Noonan went. El Castrador was watching Hagman unpack the dismounted mule panniers. Juanita had gone to the remnants of the fire where she was warming herself. Donaju looked at her, then gave Sharpe an inquiring look. "The Dona Juanita," Sharpe explained, "is a woman of many parts. She's Lord Kiely's betrothed, General Loup's lover and an agent of the French.
Juanita said nothing.
Sharpe sighed. "You and Loup, eh? Am I right?"
She stared at him with dark resentful eyes, but still refused to speak.
"And all those days you went hunting alone," Sharpe said, "you were coming here to see Loup."
Again she refused to speak. The moonlight put half her face in shadow.
"And you opened the San Isidro's gate for Loup, didn't you?" Sharpe went on. "That's why he didn't attack the gatehouse. He wanted to make sure no harm came to you in the fighting. That's nice in a man, isn't it? Looking after his woman. Mind you, he can't have liked the thought of you and Lord Kiely. Or isn't Loup the jealous kind?"
"Kiely was usually too drunk," she said in a low voice.
"Found your tongue, have you? So now you can tell me what you were doing here."
"Go to hell, Captain."
The sound of boots in the street made Sharpe turn to the window to see that the men of the Real Companпa Irlandesa had arrived in the street below. "Donaju!" he shouted. "Into the kitchen here!" He turned back to the bed. "We've got company, my lady, so let's go and be sociable." He waited for her to stand up, then shook his head when she obstinately refused to move. "I'm not leaving you on your own, my lady, so you can either go downstairs on your own two feet or have me carry you."
She stood, straightened her uniform and tried to rearrange her hair. Then, followed by Sharpe, she went down into the candlelit kitchen where El Castrador, Donaju and Sergeant Major Noonan were standing by the table. They gaped at Juanita, then looked at Sharpe who did not feel inclined to offer an immediate explanation of the lady's presence. "Loup's gone," Sharpe told Donaju. "I've got Sergeant Harper making sure the place is empty, so why don't you have your lads man the defences? Just in case Brigadier Loup decides to come back."
Donaju glanced at Juanita, then turned on Noonan. "Sergeant Major? You heard the order. Do it."
Noonan went. El Castrador was watching Hagman unpack the dismounted mule panniers. Juanita had gone to the remnants of the fire where she was warming herself. Donaju looked at her, then gave Sharpe an inquiring look. "The Dona Juanita," Sharpe explained, "is a woman of many parts. She's Lord Kiely's betrothed, General Loup's lover and an agent of the French.