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

Liar. I had decided that in the years she had been living away from us in Phi
ladelphia. If only she had stayed there.
"It is our fondest hope that you not only follow in his footsteps, but surpass
him in your success."
My mouth clamped tight at the unmistakable sarcasm in her emphasis of cert
ain words. This time the anger was on Father's
behalf, not for myself. How could she think him a failure?
"To do that, you must have the best education possible. Don't think that thi
s is a mere whim of ours. I—we have studied the choices carefully over the y
ears and determined that Harvard is simply not capable of delivering to you
the best that is available...."
Just after breakfast, she'd sent for me to come see her in the library. I was
mildly apprehensive, wondering what the trouble was this time. It was yet to
o early in the day for me to have done anything to offend her, unless she'd f
ound something to criticize in the way I chewed my food. I was not discountin
g it as a possibility.
We'd eaten in uncomfortable silence, Mother at her long-empty spot at one e
nd, and my sister, Elizabeth, across from me as usual in the middle. Father
's place at the head of the table was empty, as he was away on business.
Such silence at the morning meal was new to this household. It had settled
upon us like some heavy scavenger bird with Mother's return home. Elizabeth
and I had learned that it was better to remain quiet indefinitely than to
speak before spoken to lest we draw some disapproving remark from her.
The servants were not as lucky. Today one of the girls chanced to drop a sp
oon, and though no harm was done, she received a lengthy rebuke for her clu
msiness that left her in tears. Elizabeth exchanged glances with me while M
other's attention was distracted from us. It was going to be a bad day for
everyone, then.
Somehow we got through one more meal under this threatening cloud. Weeks ea
rlier, my sister and I had agreed to always finish eating and leave at the
same time so that neither had to face such adversity alone. We did so again
, asking permission to be excused and getting it, and had just made good ou
r escape when one of the servants caught up to us and delivered the summons
. I was to come to the library in five minutes.
"Why couldn't she have said something when we'd been right there in the roo
m with her?" I whispered to Elizabeth after the servant was gone. "Is speak
ing to me directly so difficult?"
"It's her way of doing things, Jonathan," she replied, but not in a manner to
indicate any approval. "Just agree with whatever she says and we'll sort it ou
t with Father later."
"Do you know what she wants?"
"Heavens, it could be anything. You know how she is."
"Unfortunately, yes. May I come see you afterward? I shall need you to bi
nd up my wounds."
She burst into that radiant smile reserved only for me. "Yes, little brother.
I'll go look for some bandages immediately."
Mother had seated herself in the chair next to Father's desk; it would have
been overdoing things to actually take over Ms chair. She was canny enough t
o avoid that. The idea was lo suggest his invisible presence approving her e
very action and word. I was sharply aware of this and not at all fooled, but