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

front of Madeleine. By the time she had composed an innocuous
reply, Madeleine was talking again.
"Father, there's something I must ask you." Her tone became earnest
and respectful, carefully dropping no hint of romantic interest.
"Charli and I met a very nice Austrian gentleman last night who is

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interested in studying science at Cambridge. I suggested he come to
your lecture in London next week so that I could introduce him to
you. He'd be so very glad of your advice."
Charlotte expected her father to be put out. Instead he said, "Oh,
well, I dare say it won't hurt to invite him up here, show him
around. Does he know my field's experimental physics? Is that what
he wants to do?"
Charlotte didn't hear her sister's reply. Her head was spinning.
However irrational her feelings were, she could not endure the
thought of a stranger coming into the house; it was almost a sense of
foreboding, that once invited they would never be rid of him. She
interrupted, "I didn't meet him. We don't know anything about him,
Father, and you're far too busy. Maddy shouldn't have—"
"Charli, this is none of your business!" Madeleine said in
exasperation. "What's wrong with you? He's only a man, not a sabre-
toothed tiger."
"It is my business. I'm the one who works with Father, not you."
Madeleine's brown eyes narrowed. "What right do you have to tell
me whom I can and cannot invite to the house? You have been
completely impossible this whole Season. In fact you've ruined it
for me!"
"What?" Charlotte gasped.
Their father tried to interrupt but Madeleine would not be stopped.
"My first Season, it should have been so much fun. Instead I have
you there looking like Banquo's ghost at the feast, not speaking to
anyone, rushing out in the middle of parties, everyone saying,

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'What's the matter with your sister?' and me trying to make excuses
for you, 'Oh, she's just shy.' Well, I don't think you're shy, Charlotte,
you're just an absolute, selfish, sick-making misery!"
Charlotte was too shocked to speak. It was true, Madeleine had tried
to help; but Charlotte had been too busy brooding on her own
failure to think that it might have hurt Maddy as well. She couldn't
answer. Her face blank, all she could do was stand up and walk out.
She went upstairs to her bedroom, sat down at her dressing-table,
and put her head in her hands. Suddenly her whole life was a dark