"Tanya Huff - Be It Ever So Humble" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

An impatient bray demanded her attention and she allowed the image to slip back to its own time;
they'd arrived at the well.

When the trough was full and the donkey had bent his head to drink, Magdelene, pulled by the
realization she was no longer alone, slowly turned. All around the edges of the square stood the children
of the village, staring at her with wide dark eyes.

"Yes?" she asked.

The children merely continued to stare.

Demons, she decided, were easier to deal with. At least you always knew what demons wanted.

"Magdelene-lady!"

The children stared on as Magdelene gratefully noted Juan approaching with an adult in tow. The old
man had been bent and twisted by the weight of his years, his fingers warped into shapes more like
driftwood than flesh. His skin had been tanned by sun and wind and salt into creased leather, and any
hair he'd had was long gone. He followed Juan with the rolling gait of a life spent at sea, and his jaws
worked to the rhythm of his walking.

"Whatcha doing sitting around like a pile of fish guts?" he growled at the children as he stopped an
arm's length from Magdelene and glared about. "Untie her beast, put him to pasture, and get that wagon
in the shade."

The children hesitated.

"You are staying a bit?" he asked, his growl softening, his dark eyes meeting hers. Magdalene smiled
her second-best smile-she couldn't be certain his heart would be up to her best-and said, "Yes." She
wanted very much to stay for a bit. Maybe this time things would work out. The old man nodded and
waved both twisted hands. "You heard her. Get!" They got, Juan with the rest, and Magdelene watched
bemused as her donkey was led away and her cart was pulled carefully to rest under a stand of palm.
"Boy says you told him you're a wizard."

"That's light."

"Don't have much need for a wizard here. Wizards make you soft and then the sea takes you. We
prefer to do things for ourselves."

"So do I," Magdelene told him, leaning back against the damp stones. "Prefer to have people do
things for themselves, that is." She grinned. She liked this old man and sensed in him a kindred spirit.

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"To be honest, I like people to do things for me as well." He returned the grin and his eyes twinkled as
he looked her up and down. "Ah, child," he cackled, "what 1 could do for you if I were only fifty years
younger."

"Would you like to be?" she asked, rather hoping he would. He laughed, then he realized she was