Page 33 of Her Tempting Traitor
He must have heard your full conversation with Gus.
Yes, well, that much was obvious, was it not?
He’d been listening, and heard her full conversation with Gus, and…
And he’dpaid attention.
He was scratching Jerry where the animal liked, and was being kind, even if the llama didn’t understand. Gabby thought of Lefty, the three-legged dog his wife had not recognized as having value, even if Cassian did.
He was a good man.
She swallowed, and finally sucked in a breath—the first full one since that kiss. Since she asked him to debauch her.
And now? Seeing this, understanding him? She couldn’t regret it.
“You know, if you asked Suzanne for tips, Steve might find ye both quite interesting,” Cassian was saying. “I used to work with a fellow, a good man, who preferred—och, hello, Gus.”
This last was said perfectly innocently, as if he hadn’t known the lad was behind him. Since Gabbyhadn’tknow the lad was behind him—them—she nearly fell over as she twisted to see not only Gus, but Hunter and a jovial Sir Richard approaching.
“There you are, there you are!” boomed the older man, hurrying toward them. “We’ve been looking for you both.”
Cassian’s smile appeared perfectly natural. “Miss Butcombe has been introducing me to the animals, and Jerry is clearly taken with me.”
“That’s because he knows a soft heart,” Sir Richard assured with a wink. “Ihaveheard you’ve been quite indispensable with the lesser animals this week, Miss Butcombe. You know about our current llama dilemma?”
Gabby, who was still struggling to catch up with the conversation and catch her breath after being so thoroughly kissed, glanced between Cassian and her brother, trying to figure out how to respond. Cassian wasn’t helping; his smile was casual and his body language relaxed, as if they hadn’t been kissing—rubbing their bodies against one another—just moments before.
Well, the man is a very good spy.
A good liar. A good traitor.
Oh, fiddlesticks?—
Since Hunter’s sick expression wasn’t helping, she tried her best to figure out what Sir Richard was looking for. “Um…I think Jerald and Steve and Suzanne have nothing to be concerned about, Sir Richard. They will work things out between them, and I imagine you will have a baby llama in the spring.”
“And since youareof the female persuasion, my dear, I would be delighted to allow you to see to her confinement. And remember, I insist you call me Dickie.”
Suddenly alert, Gabby nodded eagerly.Responsibility? With animals?“I would like that very much, Sir Dickie. I really am quite experienced when it comes to mammalian births—alongside my brother, of course?—”
Sir Dickie cut her off with a laugh, waggling his finger at her. “I’m still not going to let you muck about with Elizabeth, my girl. Just because you’ve got a pair of ovaries doesn’t mean you know enough about elephants for me to entrust her to you!”
Oh Lord.
Gabby didn’t know if she should roll her eyes or huff angrily.
She exchanged glances with her twin, whose grin turned even more sickly. “Today’s the day for the exam, Gabs,” he announced, as if that would mean something to her. When she continued to stare, he mugged. “You know. Theexam? Of the elephant’s…um…lady bits?”
“Avaginalexam?” she burst out. “You have not done one—that is,” she hurried to say, trying to erase her incredulity, “usually you perform one right away on a pregnant mammal, do you not?”
“Um…” Hunter tried to smile at Sir Dickie. “Usually, yes, but Elizabeth just seemed so offended. Ahem. Perhaps she’d prefer a female doctor?”
Gabby saw Cassian’s brows go up, saw him mouth the wordoffended? And she had to press her own lips together to hide her amusement.
Gus, meanwhile, was bouncing eagerly. “That’s whyyouhave to come today, Gabby! Please? Doctor Hunter says he’ll only do the exam ifyou’rethere with us.”
Discretely, Gabby sighed in relief.
She’d been here at Inverlochy Castle for a week. A full week, getting to know the myriad of animals in Sir Dickie’s menagerie…but not the elephant she’d been brought here in the first place to examine.
