Поющие в терновнике

           TheyhadbeentoawonderfulpartyonRudnaHunish,thelimitoftheterritorialboundaryBobhaddrawnaroundtheirjaunts,andtheeveninghadgonewellfromitsbeginning.Lukewasinhisbestform,jokingsomuchonthewayouthekeptherhelplesswithlaughter,thenwarmlylovingandattentivetowardherallthroughtheparty.AndMissCarmichaelhadbeensodeterminedtotakehimawayfromher!SteppinginwhereAlastairMacQueenandEnochDaviesfearedtogo,sheattachedherselftothemandflirtedwithLukeblatantly,forcedhimforthesakeofgoodmannerstoaskhertodance.Itwasaformalaffair,thedancingballroomstyle,andthedanceLukegaveMissCarmichaelwasaslowwaltz.ButhehadcomebacktoMeggieimmediatelyitwasoverandsaidnothing,onlycasthiseyestowardtheceilinginawaywhichleftherinnodoubtthattohimMissCarmichaelwasabore.Andshelovedhimforit;eversincethedaytheladyhadinterferedwithherpleasureattheGillyShow,Meggiehaddislikedher.ShehadneverforgottenthewayFatherRalphhadignoredtheladytoliftasmallgirloverapuddle;nowtonightLukeshowedhimselfinthosesamecolors.Oh,bravo!Luke,you’resplendid!

           Itwasaverylongwayhome,andverycold.LukehadcajoledapacketofsandwichesandabottleofchampagneoutofoldAngusMacQueen,andwhentheywerenearlytwo-thirdsofthewayhomehestoppedthecar.