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

Mother loomed over her, shifting her weight to one foot. Before she could d
eliver what would have been a vicious kick to my sister's stomach I was rea
ching for her. I caught both her arms from behind and dragged her away. She
screamed and squirmed and her heels flailed against my shins.
"What is it? Oh, dear, what is it? Marie, what is happening?" Mrs. Hardinbr
ook dithered in the hall, adding her foolishness to the din. Mother paid he
r no mind as she thrashed about. She'd used up her words and much of her br
eath. Hideous little animal grunts escaped from her clenched teeth.
I hoarsely shouted Elizabeth's name, breathless myself. She shook herself
and found her feet, moving slowly, and holding her face. She was dazed, bu
t had sense enough to keep clear. Stumbling toward the door, she ran into
Mrs. Hardinbrook, who didn't quite know what to do with her.
"Get some help, you fool!" my sister bellowed, pushing her away. The woma
n squeaked fearfully and fled.
"Elizabeth?"
"I'm all right," she stated shakily.
"Harlot!" Mother shouted at her. "Filthy, unnatural harlotV
Elizabeth gaped at her, then her eyes darted to my bed, where she had been
giggling hardly a minute past. "Oh, my God. She can't mean that."
Busy as I was, the realization of what she was talking about took longer t
o dawn upon me. When it did, Mother took advantage of my total shock to tw
ist from my grasp and round upon us. Her carefully made-up hair had shredd
ed into a tangled mess framing a beet red face. Her eyes were fairly poppi
ng with rage. She looked absolutely and utterly demented.
"You shameless creatures! It was a cursed day that either of you were born th
at you should come to this. You dirty, disgusting . . ."
"Mother, you are wrong! You don't know what you're saying."
She could have scorched me with those eyes. "I know what I saw, you unnatu
ral thing."
Elizabeth came in to stand next to me. "She's incensed, Jonathan, don't try t
o argue with her."
"That was ever and always the excuse," Mother snarled."/ don't know what I'
m talking about! Is that it? Is that what you'll say? This disgrace is upon
you both. You'll be the ones locked away. Dear God, I should have seen thi
s coming and been here to prevent it." She looked past us. "It's your fault
, Samuel. You raised them as you would and see what has become of them. I s
wear, if any filthy bastard come of this unholy union I'll drown it myself.
Do you hear me? I said, do you hear meT
As one, Elizabeth and I followed her gaze, looking toward the doorway of my
room. Standing there, still wrapped in his traveling cloak, was our tardy
father.
He regarded his wife in a calm manner and nodded soberly. "I hear you, Marie
," he said in a gentle, well-controlled voice.
Elizabeth and I began to rush toward him, but he swiftly brought up one hand
, a sign to remain in place. He did not look at us but at Mother.
She glared back. "And where have you been while this wickedness has been
going on? Or have you been a part of it? Have you?"
He declined to answer that one, his eyes shifting briefly over to me and bac
k again. "Library. Both of you."
We gratefully fled. In the hall we met Beldon hurrying along with a black