Page 111 of Beauty Tempts the Beast
“I donnae know how she does it, arranging everyone and keeping them in place,” Beast said. These days he sounded more Scottish than English.
“By terrorizing my grandchildren,” Aiden said.
“I see nothing wrong with that. They’re terrors, your grandchildren.”
“They are not. They’re little angels. Every last one of them.”
With a soft laugh, Gillie shook her head. “Can you believe there are so many of us now?”
Not all their children had married, but those who had were quick to fill cradles.
“Does anyone have an accurate count?” Finn asked.
“Don’t see the point,” Mick said. “By the time you get your tally, someone either gets married or has a babe.”
“Mum looks like she’s in heaven,” Fancy said, “with all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren surrounding her. She has such a lovely blush in her cheeks.”
Thea had placed her in a white brocade winged-back chair, the newest babe in her arms, the other wee ones gathered at her feet, the older ones standing behind her.
“I’m not certain it’s the children causing the blush,” Gillie mused. “I think it might be Mick’s gardener. Of late, I’ve gone to see her a few mornings, quite early, and he’s there having a cuppa.”
Years ago, when Mick had built himself a manor on land just outside London, he’d also built a lovely cottage for their mum so she could still have her independence but be near. Beast and his siblings contributed toward the upkeep, the servants, and anything else she required. It was going to be a blow when the day came that she was no longer with them.
“Gil, she has nine decades on her,” Beast reminded his sister.
“And you have seven. Are you telling me you’ve become a monk?”
“Well, no, but . . .” He glared at Mick. “He a good man, your gardener?”
Mick shrugged. “Apparently so if he’s putting a blush in Mum’s cheeks.”
“How long has this been going on?” Finn asked.
Mick sighed. “Years?”
“You bloody well knew and didn’t tell us?” Aiden asked, his tone incensed.
“I suspected. He spends more time in her garden than he does in mine, and mine is ten times the size of hers.”
“She’s not alone or lonely. She has someone.” Fancy smiled brightly. “I think it’s wonderful.”
“Because you’ve always fancied romantic stories,” Aiden said. “When I get back to London, I’ll be having a word with the bloke.”
“No, you won’t,” Mick said.
“I’m not going to have him taking advantage of my mum.”
“Aiden, when I said years... I’m talking possibly twenty-five.”
“That long,” Gillie said. “I wonder why she didn’t tell us.”
“You know, Mum. She has her secrets.”
“Maybe she likes feeling a little bit naughty,” Beast said. “But perhaps it wouldn’t be unwarranted for us to let her know that we’d welcome him into the fold.”
That suggestion was met with a series of serious nods. He glanced over at Robin. He’d been right about the lad’s height. When he was finally done growing, he was only an inch or so shorter than Beast. “You’ve been unusually quiet.”
The lad shrugged his slender shoulders, although he wasn’t much of a lad any longer. He’d traveled the world capturing animals with his camera. He’d been twelve when he’d told Thorne he thought they should start leaving theanimals in their original homes. “I’m just surprised so many of you didn’t know about Gran and the gardener.”
