"Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis - Ill Met by Moonlight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

Denoriel couldn't help himself; he goggled at Aleneil. It was one thing for an elven maiden to decide to
take to the hunt and even to arms—there were, in fact, female knights, and woe betide him who thought
them any less in prowess than the males! But a mortal girl-child? Hunting? Even the ladies hardly did
more than genteelly toss a falcon into the air and permit their falconers to retrieve bird and quarry!

But—what really worried Denoriel—to go hunting, in the half-wild woods, would give enemies more
opportunities at the child than he cared to think about.

Aleneil gave him a reproving frown. "Yes, indeed, and do not you dare quarrel with her about it or she
will take you in dislike, and that would be a disaster. She is very tenacious of her likes and dislikes."

"But if it puts her in danger—"

"Denor—I mean, Lord Denno," Aleneil said sharply, "this child is not another Harry FitzRoy. Do not
expect the same goodness, the same sweetness, from her. She learned many bitter lessons while you
were healing and she does not give her trust for a smile and a hug."

The road was empty, and they moved out onto it, now riding side by side. "You sound almost as if you
do not like her," Denoriel said.

"I don't know that I do," Aleneil admitted. "But young as she is, I respect her. And . . . and I am a little
afraid of what she will become. There is a way that she can look at you that is—disturbingly calculating.
Even now, every single person who has ever seen her remarks that she has great dignity."

Denoriel was not convinced. "Harry could be dignified too, but it was all outside. Inside he was a little
boy who wanted to be loved."

There was a rather longer silence than Denoriel expected and he looked down at Aleneil, who sighed and
shook her head.

"I have no idea what is inside Elizabeth," she said at last. "She will not let me close enough. I do not know
that she has ever confided in anyone. I hope you will be able to forge some bond with her quickly, but
you will not have much time."

"Why not? Did you not tell me that her governess was of an obliging nature, very romantic, and not too
wise?" He smiled, confident in his ability to win over any mortal woman. "Surely I should be able to make
her welcoming to me, especially as I am willing to contribute lavishly to the household expenses."

Aleneil shook her head. "Oh, Kat Champernowne is not the problem. You will wind her about your
finger in a quarter of an hour. The trouble is that the king is planning to have all his children live together
as soon as it is judged that Edward is not likely to take any disease from the others."

"Will it matter?" Denoriel asked. "Norfolk's children lived with Harry. In a way it was convenient because
it was not so obvious that I was guarding Harry."

Aleneil sniffed with gentle disdain. "If you think Harry was well guarded after the attempt on his life, you
will find that nothing compared with the guards and attendants around Edward. No one gets to see the
boy except by the king's own permission."