Page 28 of Her Tempting Traitor
Shyly, Gus reached out to pet the llama as well, his gaze warm as he looked at the woman beside him. “I think you’re a very good veterinarian, Gabby.”
She turned her head away, and when she answered, her voice sounded choked. “Thank you, Gus. That…that means quite a lot to me.”
After a moment, during which Jerry The Possibly Homosexual Llama switched his attention to Gus, and the lad moved his hand to where Gabby pointed out every animal enjoyed scratches, Gus cleared his throat.
“I think I would like to be a veterinarian, like your brother, one day.”
“I think you would be very good at it.”
Cassian stared.
Those two lines, so simple, were more than Gus had ever admitted to him, more than Cassian had ever been allowed to say.
If Gus had said that, would ye have listened? Would ye have accepted it?
Of course he would have! Cassian might not have much to say about animals, but it was a fine aspiration—and hecould see how much Gus enjoyed working with them. If his son wanted to study veterinary sciences, Cassian would make it happen.
Even if he had to make it happen from prison.
“Do you think, if my father knew how much I loved working with Uncle Dickie’s menagerie, he’d let me stay here at Inverlochy?”
Cassian’s eyes closed, unable to ignore the yearning in his son’s voice. His headthunkedback against the pine wood behind him. How could he take Gus from here? Sir Richard had offered him a place, warmth, comfort, joy, a real home…could that be permanent?
Sooner or later, ye’re going to have to answer to yer superiors. Explain how three men died. If they find ye guilty and drag ye off, at least ye’ll ken Gus is safe here at Inverlochy. At least ye’ll ken he has a future.
But…what if Cassianwasn’tfound guilty? What if he was also allowed to have a future? He couldn’t stay here at Inverlochy, this wasn’t his home. And the thought of asking Gus to give uphishome would cause too much pain.
In his mind, Cassian ripped up the designs for the cottage he might one day build for his son. If Sir Richard was willing to provide a home for Gus—the way Gabby’s aunt and uncle had provided for her, the way the Earl of Litewood had albeit begrudgingly provided schooling and introductions into Society for his bastard son… Well, Cassian would be a selfish arsehole to ask him to give that up.
Am I an arsehole?
Across the barn, the conversation had continued, and Cassian struggled to listen, when inside he was reeling.
“What do you think your father wants? Will he go back to work?” Gabby was asking.
“I think he wants to. I think he wants to be away from me.”Christ, that wasnae true. “He doesn’t like to talk about his job, and he seems…he seems…”
“How does he seem?”
Cassian opened his eyes to see Gabby place her arm comfortingly around his son’s shoulders, urging him to speak. Silently, Cassian did his best to urge his sonnotto speak of this.
“He seems scared,” Gus admitted.Fook. “Like he’s hiding, and he doesn’t think he can hide forever.”
The breath Gabby sucked in matched Cassian’s, and unfortunately, she heard him.
Those midnight-blue eyes found his across the barn, piercing him unerringly. She swallowed, straightening, and hugged Gus once more.
“I think, Gus, that your father cares for you.” Her eyes blazed in challenge. “I think he wants what’s best for you. I think, if you told him you wanted to be a veterinarian and stay here to work with your Uncle Dickie’s menagerie, he would allow that.”
Her chin rose, as if daring Cassian to contradict her.
Slowly, deliberately, he dropped his chin into a nod while holding her gaze, and he saw her shoulders slump in relief.
Relief that she’d guessed correctly? Or relief that he wasn’t a complete selfish bastard? Or was it just that this bold, witty woman had come to care for this son of his, and wanted wee Gus to be happy?
“You really think so?” Gus asked hopefully, his face tipped up to hers.
She smiled down at him, squeezing him once more. “Iknowso.”
