Page 14 of Bride Under Contract

‘Really, I’d be happy to stay on a little longer,’ Grace admitted. ‘I’d love to see orangutans.’

‘You haven’t yet?’

‘A nest, and one from a distance, though I’m dreadful with binoculars.’ She gave him a smile. ‘Seeing orangutans has been on my bucket list since before I even knew what bucket lists were...’

‘How come?’

She blushed, and it was something she tended not to do. Or maybe she did—she’d just never been so conscious of it until she met him.

‘It’s silly...’ she dismissed her reasoning. ‘My father got me a baby one for Christmas when I was little. Not a real one...’

‘I would hope not! I’ve heard they do terrible damage to curtains.’

She smiled at his subtle humour, and then it turned into a laugh, and his company was so pleasant, even if there was still heat in her cheeks.

‘You can send him a photo of a real one soon.’

‘I don’t think so...’

‘You’ll see plenty if you go to one of the rehabilitation centres—’

‘I meant, we’re not in contact.’ She gave a tight smile and got back to talking about the orangutans. ‘They’ve always fascinated me. I’d just love to see one in the wild.’ Before he could say it, she put up her hand. ‘I know. Felicity has already reminded me it’s not a zoo.’

‘Felicity?’

‘One of the guides,’ she explained. ‘I believe she’s here doing research. Ornithology,’ Grace added. ‘Anyway, seeing orangutans in the wild is probably not all I’ve built it up to be...’

He opened his mouth, as if about to say something, then must have changed his mind and closed it. But as she went to take a sip of her wine perhaps he changed his mind again. ‘Grace, it’s even better.’

‘Oh...’

Her surprise wasn’t at his comment, more at the slight husk to his voice, the note of pensiveness, even. But then he gave a casual shrug, as if it might reduce the sentiment of his words.

She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. ‘You’re not here on a tour...’

‘Is it that obvious?’

She shrugged. ‘You just seem...’ Her head moved to one side in slight assessment. ‘Well, you arrived alone, and you know where the wine’s kept.’

He gave a half-laugh. ‘My grandfather has—or rather he had a place a few miles from here.’

She blinked, and he knew she had noticed the change of tense when he’d mentioned his grandfather.

Please don’t offer condolences, he thought, but she just briefly met his eyes and a gave him a pinched, regretful smile that said enough.

Actually, it said more—it told him that she’d heard, or rather understood, he’d rather not go there.

‘So,’ Grace summed up, ‘not a tourist, but not a local either?’

‘Correct.’

He was grateful she’d changed the topic, and he rested his eyes upon her as she told him they’d all seen the pygmy elephants tonight.

‘Just incredible...’

There was a tremor of excitement in her voice, and he found his focus honing in on her, the men in the dining area forgotten as her delicate hands reached for her phone.

‘I took some photos, and I think I got a couple of videos. I was about to look when you...’ She paused, and then got back to searching on her phone.

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