"Freda Warrington - A Taste of Blood Wine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Warrington Freda)

A Taste


Fleur sighed. "Sorry, Maddy. I'm not miserable. It's just that I had a
wonderful idea for a painting last night and I can't wait to start."
"Wonderful idea?" Madeleine said archly. "You should keep away
from the strange substances brought by your strange friends."
"You should try it, dear." Fleur stretched, arms lily-slender. "It
makes one feel so marvellously creative."
Charlotte swallowed a mouthful of toast whole, almost choking on
it. They were talking about cocaine. How horrified their father
would be if he knew, and even more furious at Fleur for trying to
corrupt Maddy. She tried to hide her shock, but failed.
"Oh, don't give me that old-fashioned look, Charli," said Fleur.
"But it's illegal!"
"All the best things are," Fleur said dismissively. "To be honest, I
rather wish you chaps would go home. You are darlings, but you
know I can't bear any distractions when I'm working. You don't
mind, do you?"
"Well, I do rather," said Madeleine. "I was hoping to stay a few
more days."
"You can go back to Auntie's house."
"You know perfectly well Aunt Lizzie left town last week. She's
gone back to Parkland to organise my birthday party."
Unmoved, Fleur responded, "You'll have to go back to Cambridge
then. You don't mind, Charli, do you?"
"Of course not!" said Charlotte, too fervently.
"Oh well, Charlotte wouldn't mind," said Madeleine. "She's hardly

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A Taste


been the life and soul of the party, has she?"
"Do be grown up about it, Maddy." There was a touch of irritation
in Fleur's tone. "It's really important that I work. I'll telephone
Father and ask him to send Maple to fetch you."
"God, home. What a bore," said Madeleine, but Charlotte felt a
wave of relief. Discovering what sort of company Fleur kept was
the last straw. She wanted to escape, to forget it all.
"Buck up, Maddy, it's not long to your party, is it?" Fleur stood up
and moved to the conservatory as she spoke, turning round in the
doorway.
"Two whole weeks," Madeleine groaned. Then her face brightened.
"Oh, I hope Karl comes to the lecture!"

***
In the car on the way home, it was Madeleine who sat in silence,
while Charlotte made conversation with Maple, her father's
chauffeur and valet. He was a sweet, gentle man, not an atom of