"Anthony Piers - Incarnations Of Immortality 6 - For Love Of Evil" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

and dumbest waif in die village!" she protested. "How can
you pretend otherwise?"

Parry leaned forward, leaching for her. She shrank away,
but he persisted, catching hold of a hank of her hair at her
shoulder. "Look at this," he said earnestly. "Golden nesses,
like few known here in the south of France. Look at your face:

perfect. Not even any scars from die pox."

"I have scars," she said, almost eageriy. "But they don't
show."

"All you need is some feeding, and you will flesh out into
sheer loveliness. You have die frame already; I can see it
clearly."

She drew her dress more closely about her, fearing diat her
body showed. "You shouldn't look!"

"Figuratively, I mean. I have learned to see folk for what
d»ey are and for what diey can be; my father taught me
that. He had me took at tiae villagers whenever we were
in die village, and choose die best woman. Had I chosen

10 PiersAntlwny

wrongly, he would have served me as I deserved for my
error."

She was not persuaded, but she was flattered, and curious.
"How would that be?"

"He would have delivered that wrong girl to me."

Again she laughed. "And so he did!"

"No. I have no doubt of this. You are the one."

Her doubt remained, but she was beginning to accept the
fact that he believed. "What will you have of me, then?"

"Your love."

She looked stricken, having briefly dared hope for escape.
"I dare not deny you. Parry."

"I said your love, not your body! I want you to love me."

"I fear you," she said. "Is that enough?"