"Деннис Уитли. The Devil Rides Out (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

tries to stop us. You get him to the car-Understoood?'
'What if they raise the house? You'll never be able to tackle the
whole bunch on your own?'
'In that case drop him, I'll get him out somehow, while you
protect my rear. Come on!'
With De Richleau leading they crept down the first flight of
stairs. On the landing he paused and peered cautiously over the
banisters. No sound came from below. 'Rex,' he whispered.
'Yep.'
'If that black servant I told you of appears, for God's sake
don't look at his eyes. Watch his hands and hit him in the belly.'
'O.K.'
A moment later they were down the second flight. The hall
was empty and only a vague murmur of conversation came to them
from behind the double doors that led to the salon.
'Quick!' urged the Duke. 'Mocata may come out to look for him any
moment,'
'Right.' Rex, bent double beneath his burden, plunged down the
last stairs, and De Richleau was already halfway across the half
when the dumb servant suddenly appeared from the vestibule.
For a second he stood there, his sallow face a mask of blank
surprise then, side-stepping the Duke with the agility of a rugby
forward, he lowered his bullet head and charged Rex with silent
animal ferocity.
'Got you,' snapped De Richleau, for although the man had dodged
with lightning speed he had caught his wrist in passing. Then
flinging his whole weight upon it as he turned, he jerked the fellow
clean off his feet and sent him spinning head foremost against the
wall.
As his head hit the panelling the mute gave an uncouth grunt, and
rolled over on the floor, but he staggered up again and dashed
towards the salon. Rex and the Duke were already pounding down the
tiled path and in another second they had flung themselves into the
lane through the entrance in the garden wall.
'Thank God,' gasped the Duke as he wrenched open the door of the
Hispano. 'I believe that hellish crew would have killed us rather
than let us get Simon out of there alive.'
'Well, I suppose you do know what you're at,' Rex muttered as he
propped Simon up on the back seat of the car. 'But I'm not certain
you're safe to be with.'
'Home,' ordered De Richleau curtly to the footman, who was hiding
his astonishment at their sudden exit by hastily tucking the rug
over their knees. Then he smiled at Rex a trifle grimly. 'I suppose
I do seem a little mad to you, but you can't possibly be expected to
appreciate what a horribly serious business this is. I'll explain
later.'
In a few moments they had left the gloom of the quiet streets
behind and were once more running through well-lit ways towards
Mayfair, but Simon was still unconscious when they pulled up in
Curzon Street before Errol House.