"John Moore - Heroics for Beginners" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moore John)

music. A thousand candles, each flame reflected a hundred times more from gleaming crystal chandeliers,
filled the massive ballroom with a bright golden glow. Within the crowd a constant glitter of reflection
dazzled the eye, as necklaces of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds flashed from the ladies' necks. From the
men's shoulders swung capes of silk, velvet, and fur. All of Deserae's nobility, and the cream of its
merchant population, flowed around the room in a large, slow circuit, shaking hands, chatting, making
introductions, forming into knots and groups and cliques, then breaking up again to join the main flow,
like a stream flowing into a circular pond. Servants bearing silver trays of canapés and full wineglasses
smoothly entered the whirlpool, and other servants with empty trays exited just as smoothly. And in the
center of the flow were the four other men who had traveled from their respective countries to compete
for the hand of Princess Rebecca.

"Bigelow, Raymond, Harkness, and there is Lord Logan," said Kevin, looking over the crowd. "That's
him with Lord Hepplewhit and Baron Ashbury. He brought along some of his Black Guards. Bigelow left
his entourage behind, I see. Did our other diplomats reply to my message, Winslow?"

"Yes, sire. You received a note from their excellenciesBerry and Wainright this morning."

"And what did it say?"

"It said that Deserae is proud of its orchards but produces little wine."

"Good. What else?"

"Principal employment lies in sheep and lumber. Not surprisingly, most of the manufacturing is in wool
cloth and carved wood. They also weave flax. And there's some tin mining."

"Sheep," said Kevin reflectively. "Hmmm. Okay, I may need you. Wait for me here."

He gave his invitation to the doorman, who announced him—not that anyone was listening, or could hear
above the music and the chatter. It took the better part of an hour for Prince Kevin to reach the center of
the room, for every step meant another round of greetings, bows, handshakes, and exchanges of
pleasantries. The Prince never wavered from his course, although to the other guests it appeared that he
had no direction at all, but merely by chance the press of the crowd had nudged him into the royal center.
Indeed, he seemed almost surprised when he turned around and found himself facing Prince Bigelow.

"Samuel," he said, bowing slightly. "Good to see you again. You're looking well."

"As yourself, Kevin."Bigelow did not bow or smile. He was a good-looking young man, a little heavyset
but powerful, normally quite friendly and personable. Three weeks ago he had been considered a solid
choice. Now he was tired of the whole game and ready to go home. The Lords of Deserae had
narrowed the field to two. Bigelow was sufficiently well informed to know he was out of the running.

"Raymond, Harkness," said the Prince, shaking hands with each of them. Raymond was a thin, weedy
sort, with a scraggly beard, who always seemed to be daydreaming. He had never been a serious
contender and was probably just there for diplomatic reasons. He had a glass of wine in each hand and a
pipe in his mouth. Prince Harkness had wide blue eyes and long golden hair, and every adolescent girl in
the kingdom thought he was absolutely adorable. But he was also three years younger than Kevin and
two years younger than the Princess. Kevin knew the Princess objected to marrying a younger man.

Which left Logan of Angostura, son of the Lord High Chancellor and a general in the Angosturan army.