Read Online Harsh Lessons by L. J. Kendall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: L. J. Kendall
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her teeth. Not only was she being tormented by the piercing soprano, the vocals were drowning her out so James couldn't even hear her question! She imagined jumping up on stage to claw the woman's throat out.
'James! I can't understand them!'
The couple in the seats directly in front turned and glared at her. Leeth glared right back, fighting down a sudden urge to thump them.
'Shh.' James put his finger to his lips, eyes still on the performers. 'Here's the programme.'
She took it from him, puzzled. Frowning in the dark, she re-read the pamphlet while the soprano continued her sonic assault.
Looking up from it, and around, everyone else seemed completely absorbed. Even James. She looked back at the programme. It sure sounded exciting. Butit was like they were all singing in code !
'James!'
After the curtain fell, Leeth seemed in no hurry to move. James watched her studying the departing audience with a strange intensity. 'Well – what did you think of The Rheingold?'
'There was an awful lot of it.'
'Would you like to meet the lead singer? Maria Lempriere?'
Leeth's eyes brightened. 'Yeah. Yeah, I would.'
After a short flurry of messaging, Maria flung open her dressing room door as they arrived. 'James! James Connor!'
She pronounced his name "Shames Kon-nor," Leeth noticed.
'How marveilleux to see you. And who is your little friend?'
'This is Samantha Westin. She was dying to meet you.'
'’Ow wonderful. What did you think of our performance?'
'I thought you were very brave.'
Maria's face stiffened.
'Singing, with your throat hurting like that.' She'd been half-guessing, but Maria's reaction confirmed it. Leeth sensed James go still, at her side. 'You might have some kind of growth: you should see a doctor.'
Maria raised one trembling hand.
'Or maybe a mage? They could-'
Maria pointed. 'Get out!' she hissed. 'At once! And you, James Connor…'
James dragged Leeth away as the singer's eyes fell on a heavy crystal ashtray.
From there, he took her to a night café. He had intended to take her to his club, but common sense prevailed. Perhaps after she's more… rounded.
They sat now with their coffees, James watching with quiet disbelief as Leeth wolfed down a generous slice of carrot cake. After every mouthful or two, she stirred more sugar into her mug.
'Ah, that's better!' she said, after the seventh spoonful.
'Milk? Cream?'
'Oh? Uh, yeah. Sure.'
He poured. She tasted.
'Mmm, good.' She licked her fingers clean of cake, then took a large gulp of her coffee, though her lips twisted immediately after.
'You don't like the Colombian Novo-supremo?'
'No, it's, um, good. Very, you know. Coffee flavored. It's one of my favorites.' She tilted her head back and drained her mug. 'See? It was, yummy.'
He sipped at his own espresso. 'Would you like another?'
'No! I mean, no, thank you, James.' She shivered.
'Cold?'
'No.' She shut her eyes, then pushed back from the table, spreading her fingers wide. Definitely trembling . 'Hey. What should we do next? We don't have to go back yet, do we? We could go dancing. Oh! No, I know: the Tenderloin district's not far from here, is it? Yes! Let's! I'm surewe could Hunt down some fun there. Please, James? Please, please, please…'
He took another cautious sip. 'I take it you've something specific in mind?'
She sprang up from her seat, twirling from their table and then dancing back to him, shimmying down to press her front into his side. ' Several things. Please , James? Please, please, please….'
-
Maria Lempriere was still fuming. Never had she been so insulted! Her anger made her fumble the key to the door, and she had to strangle an urge to throw the foolish thing away. A brass key! What was this, the twentieth century? Finally, the mechanical lock clicked. Thrusting the door open, she stalked out into the small courtyard
'James! I can't understand them!'
The couple in the seats directly in front turned and glared at her. Leeth glared right back, fighting down a sudden urge to thump them.
'Shh.' James put his finger to his lips, eyes still on the performers. 'Here's the programme.'
She took it from him, puzzled. Frowning in the dark, she re-read the pamphlet while the soprano continued her sonic assault.
Looking up from it, and around, everyone else seemed completely absorbed. Even James. She looked back at the programme. It sure sounded exciting. Butit was like they were all singing in code !
'James!'
After the curtain fell, Leeth seemed in no hurry to move. James watched her studying the departing audience with a strange intensity. 'Well – what did you think of The Rheingold?'
'There was an awful lot of it.'
'Would you like to meet the lead singer? Maria Lempriere?'
Leeth's eyes brightened. 'Yeah. Yeah, I would.'
After a short flurry of messaging, Maria flung open her dressing room door as they arrived. 'James! James Connor!'
She pronounced his name "Shames Kon-nor," Leeth noticed.
'How marveilleux to see you. And who is your little friend?'
'This is Samantha Westin. She was dying to meet you.'
'’Ow wonderful. What did you think of our performance?'
'I thought you were very brave.'
Maria's face stiffened.
'Singing, with your throat hurting like that.' She'd been half-guessing, but Maria's reaction confirmed it. Leeth sensed James go still, at her side. 'You might have some kind of growth: you should see a doctor.'
Maria raised one trembling hand.
'Or maybe a mage? They could-'
Maria pointed. 'Get out!' she hissed. 'At once! And you, James Connor…'
James dragged Leeth away as the singer's eyes fell on a heavy crystal ashtray.
From there, he took her to a night café. He had intended to take her to his club, but common sense prevailed. Perhaps after she's more… rounded.
They sat now with their coffees, James watching with quiet disbelief as Leeth wolfed down a generous slice of carrot cake. After every mouthful or two, she stirred more sugar into her mug.
'Ah, that's better!' she said, after the seventh spoonful.
'Milk? Cream?'
'Oh? Uh, yeah. Sure.'
He poured. She tasted.
'Mmm, good.' She licked her fingers clean of cake, then took a large gulp of her coffee, though her lips twisted immediately after.
'You don't like the Colombian Novo-supremo?'
'No, it's, um, good. Very, you know. Coffee flavored. It's one of my favorites.' She tilted her head back and drained her mug. 'See? It was, yummy.'
He sipped at his own espresso. 'Would you like another?'
'No! I mean, no, thank you, James.' She shivered.
'Cold?'
'No.' She shut her eyes, then pushed back from the table, spreading her fingers wide. Definitely trembling . 'Hey. What should we do next? We don't have to go back yet, do we? We could go dancing. Oh! No, I know: the Tenderloin district's not far from here, is it? Yes! Let's! I'm surewe could Hunt down some fun there. Please, James? Please, please, please…'
He took another cautious sip. 'I take it you've something specific in mind?'
She sprang up from her seat, twirling from their table and then dancing back to him, shimmying down to press her front into his side. ' Several things. Please , James? Please, please, please….'
-
Maria Lempriere was still fuming. Never had she been so insulted! Her anger made her fumble the key to the door, and she had to strangle an urge to throw the foolish thing away. A brass key! What was this, the twentieth century? Finally, the mechanical lock clicked. Thrusting the door open, she stalked out into the small courtyard
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