"Zach Hughes - Mother Lode" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hughes Zach)

"What do you think?"

That often used phrase caused Mop to lift his good ear.

"I think, Erin, that you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

"Now where did that come from?" she asked disgustedly.

"Here," he said, touching his chest.

Her reaction was out of proportion to his infraction. She used a couple
of choice spacer expressions on the way out of the office and was in the
aircar jerking it aloft and toward the house before she realized why she
was so angry.

It had not been Dent's compliment that had sent her fleeing from his
office but her reaction to it. Once before when she'd been lonely she'd
turned to casual male arms for comfort and she had never forgotten the
stomach-sinking feeling of self-loathing when the brief spasms without
love were over. Now she was lonely again, and she'd seriously entertained
the idea, at least for a moment, of seeking solace in Denton Gale's arms.

Her decision was made by the time she found the attorney's
com-number. A secretary answered. "Yes, Miss Kenner. As a matter of
fact, Mr. Atherton has been trying to reach you."

"Glad you called, Erin," the lawyer said. "I relayed your message to my
client and I was rather surprised to find that he is willing to go an extra
five thousand for occupancy within thirty days."

"So? I should have asked for ten, huh?"

Atherton cleared his throat. "He is quite eager to take occupancy."

"Throw in another five for the furnishings and a used aircar and he can
have it right now."

"I'll get back to you within the hour," Atherton said.

The sale was closed before the end of business next day. She left the
only home she remembered, taking with her nothing more than books,
pictures, holo-tapes, a few music capsules that brought back youthful
memories, and the Mop's bed. Her savings and the equity from the
property had been converted into universal credits to be drawn on at any
bank in the U.P.

She spent a day checking and double-checking Mother's store of
goodies. Her father had stocked the ship well. Her only purchase was
several cases of Tigian wine and a few cases of liver flavored nibbles for the