Page 77 of Her Tempting Traitor
The telegram—and letter—she’d sent to her uncle today…they should help. On their ride that morning, in between listening to Gus’s grandiose plans for this infiltration—hiding in the wheelbarrow of cabbages, really?—Gabby had murmured updates to Cassian’s willing ear.
If her uncle Bull’s contact, the one who sent her on this case, really had the ear of the Crown…well, then it was possible Cassian could find a way to tell the truth. The Prince’s threat hung over him constantly, so it would just depend who Bull contacted.
And why the hell did the name Bull Lindsay seem so familiar?
“This does not make any sense.”
The quiet murmur cut through Cassian’s musings, half surprised he hadn’t uttered the words himself. “What?”
Gus turned to him, and the worry on the lad’s face caused Cassian to step closer in concern as the lad muttered, “Gabby says that Elizabeth isn’t acting right.”
Cassian frowned, moving to her side beside the elephant. “Well, aye, we ken that, right? That’s why ye’re here? Because she’s no’ acting right?”
“No…” She planted her hands on her hips and studied the animal’s closed eyes. “She is not acting…well, like apregnantelephant. I thought it was a good sign to find her lying near the birthing trench, but look—” She jerked her chin toward a shallow pit. “She is not oriented properly, even if her time to laborwasnear.”
“It’s no’?” Cassian risked reaching out and placing a palm against the animal’s side. It was surprisingly rough, surprisingly comforting. “She certainly looks fat enough.”
“She’s anelephant,Da,” Gus sighed in exasperation. “She’s no’ fat, just well-rounded.”
“So ye’re saying, she’s no’ pregnant enough to be in imminent danger of giving birth?” The animal’s skin was surprisingly warm, with stiff hairs to tickle his palm as he stroked her. “Uncle Dickie said he’d had her for many months.”
“An elephant’s gestation is around twenty-two months,” Gabby murmured, chewing on her bottom lip distractedly. “I am not certainwhatI am saying.”
“Elizabeth isn’t about to give birth, Da,” Gus assured him wisely. “She still has months and months to go, but her activity shouldn’t be this lethargic so early.”
Cassian raised a brow. “How do ye ken?”
“Iread.” His son grinned cheekily, even as he stroked the elephant’s massive brow. “Uncle Dickie has a brilliant library.”
“Aye,” Cassian murmured, shooting Gabby a glance. “I ken so.”
When he’d been a lad, his studies had been…an obligation. Granted, his grandfather’s ideas of studies had been dry Bible verses and the cane for an inattentive lad, but Cassian had much rather been climbing or fishing or running through the fields with the farmers’ lads. And here washisson, who actively sought out books to read on subjects that interested him.
He shook his head fondly. “Ye’re a remarkable young man, Augustus Grey. Ye never cease to amaze me, and I’m grateful to be yer father.”
The lad blinked a few times, then glanced down at the elephant, his cheeks reddening. “Um…thank you. I…I’m grateful you’re my Da, too.”
I hate you! You’re not my father!
Cassian’s lips slowly twisted into a wry grin, beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to re-build—nay, tobuildhis relationship with his son from those difficult, screamed accusations just days ago tothis.
And it was all thanks to the woman currently pacing around an elephant, muttering to herself.
The woman, that was. Not the elephant.
This was probably the moment to say something meaningful and sentimental that Gus would remember for years. Unfortunately, before Cassian could think ofanything, Gabby lifted the elephant’s tail and wrinkled her nose.
“Well, that is all wrong too.”
“I recognize my ignorance when it comes to the nether regions of large mammals,” Cassian said dryly, “but…what’s wrong?”
“Look at her dung!” Still holding the tail—good Lord, that thing was huge—Gabby gestured to the piles of shite around them. “Her gut is not…” Her head came up and she speared Gus with an intense gaze. “Wait, what did Hunter say they were feeding her?”
“Oats, barley, beer…” The lad shrugged. “Just like the rest of the animals.”
“No, I told him to remove the beer and barley,” she murmured, dropping the tail and moving slowly around the animal, who was still wheezing uncomfortably. “And look, she is only lying near the birthing trench because she has eaten all the grass out of it. I would guess there was hay mixed in as well…”
Cassian had stepped back to allow her space to work, but now frowned as he studied her. “Yetold Hunter to feed the elephant only oats?”
