"P. N. Elrod - Jonathan Barrett 01 - Red Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

ables and passed on the news. She charged up to the house immediately.
"What are they like?" she demanded after a quick thump on my door to anno
unce herself.
"You'll have to draw your own conclusions."
"Jonathan, you're not a lawyer yet, so tell me."
"Toad-eaters, without a doubt. They seem clever about it, though, so be ca
reful around them. You know what Father says."
She did, and hurried on to her room to change for supper. I waited in mine u
ntil it was time, then escorted her downstairs. She looked perfect in a dres
s of such a pale gray as to be nearly white with touches of dark pink throug
hout. The latter, I abruptly noticed, complemented my claret-colored coat in
some subtle way. We would present a united front against these invaders, if
they bothered to notice.
Mrs. Hardinbrook was again effusive in her praise when she and Elizabeth w
ere introduced. Elizabeth returned one of the complements in French. Our g
uest was astonished that she was able to speak a foreign language so easil
y.
"It's nothing," Elizabeth demurred. "I understand that all the children in Fra
nce do so."
This went right over Mrs. Hardinbrook's uncomprehending head; Mother glow
ered ineffectively, but Beldon smothered a knowing smile. When his turn c
ame he bowed gravely over Elizabeth's hand and expressed his enchantment
with her. She was politely cool and made no reply beyond a civil nod. Eve
n Mother could find no fault with her for that.
We went in to supper, which, oddly enough, was made bearable by the presence
of the guests. They distracted Mother and for the first time in a month the
usual heavy silence was lifted from the table. The relief lasted for the wh
ole meal. Elizabeth and I said next to nothing throughout, our ears instinct
ively open for information on these strangers.
Mrs. Hardinbrook managed to eat and talk at the same time, rolling along at
a quick pace and cleaning her plate down to the last crumb. She spoke of t
his happening or that person, familiar to Mother, but not to us. Now and th
en she would touch on a general topic for a time and then our listening bec
ame less tedious.
Beldon was taciturn compared to his sister, who made enough speech for both
of them. We already knew he was a doctor and learned that his practice had
been unfairly disrupted by the unpleasantness in Philadelphia. One of the
last people he'd been called to treat had been a victim of a mob of rebel r
uffians.
28
"Poor fellow was dragged right from his home and beaten. They said he'd na
rrowly escaped being tarred and feathered except for the arrival of some o
f his friends. Then it was canes and clubs, gentlemen against the rowdies,
who were soundly beaten themselves and sent away howling."
"Being beasts, they only got what they deserved," added Mrs, Hardinbrook w
ith a giggle for her own joke.
"Beasts, indeed," sniffed Mother. "Why was he beaten?"
"He's Tory, which is reason enough for them," answered Beldon. "These rebel
louts have nothing better to do with themselves than stay drunk most of the
time, and that heats up the brain. Then it only takes the wrong word in the