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"Giveat the cord, and she pulled it out of the crate She tossed a last handful of coarajans hastened to lock it
"I want it triple chained," Harry said to Valentine, "and the other monkey’s crate chained as well And then I want theent’s Park"
"Yes, sir"
Poppy went to her sister, hugging her in an open display of affection "Well done, Bea," she exclaio of the comfits in his hand?"
"Because it is a well-known fact that reedy as people," Beatrix said, and Poppy laughed
"Girls," Miss Marks said in a low voice, trying to hush theo"
"Yes, of course," Poppy said "I’o on with our walk"
However, the coe the sisters to leave was foiled as the Nagarajans crowded around Beatrix
"You have done us a very great service," the head diploratitude of our country and our king, and you shall be recommended to Her Majesty Queen Victoria for your brave assistance--"
"No, thank you," Miss Marks interceded firmly "Miss Hathaway does not wish to be reco her publicly If you are indeed grateful for her kindness, we beg you to repay her with silence"
This produced hed and watched as the macaque was carried away in his crate "I wish I had a ave Poppy a long-suffering glance "One er to acquire a husband"
Srin, Poppy tried to look sympathetic
"Have the food lift cleaned," Harry told Valentine and Brimbley "Every inch of it"
Thethe pulleys to send the food lift dohile Valentine departed in swift, controlled strides
Harry glanced at all three of the wo an extra moment on Miss Marks’s set face "I thank you for your assistance, ladies"
"Not at all," Poppy said, her eyes dancing "And if there are further problems with recalcitrant monkeys, do not hesitate to send for us"
Harry’s blood quickened as lurid iainst hiinto his ear Her skin, soft and ivory pale in the darkness Skin heated by skin, sensation eht, even giving up the last remnants of his soul
"Good day," he heard himself say, his voice husky but polite And he forced himself to walk away
For now
Chapter Seven
"Now I understand what you one on some undisclosed errand Poppy had settled in her bed, while Beatrix had washed Dodger and was now drying hi to say about Mr Rutledge," she continued "No wonder you found hirin at the happy ferret, riggling on a warer, you do like to be clean, don’t you? You s"
"You always say that, and he always smells the same" Poppy raised herself on an elbow and watched the around her shoulders She felt too restless to nap "Then you found Mr Rutledge unsettling, too?"
"No, but I understand why you do He watches you like one of those a sort of predators The kind that lie in wait before they spring"
"How drah "He’s not a predator, Bea He’s only a man"
Beatrix er’s fur As she leaned over him, he strained upward and kissed her nose affectionately "Poppy," she murmured, "no matter how Miss Marks tries to civilize me--and I do try to listen to her--I still haveat the world To me, people are scarcely different from animals We’re all God’s creatures, aren’t we? When I meet someone, I know immediately what animal they would be When we first met Cam, for example, I kneas a fox"
"I suppose Cam is somewhat fox-like," Poppy said, amused "What is Merripen? A bear?"
"No, unquestionably a horse And Amelia is a hen"
"I would say an owl"
"Yes, but don’t you remember when one of our hens in Hampshire chased after a cow that had strayed too close to the nest? That’s Aht"
"And Win is a swan"
"Am I also a bird? A lark? A robin?"
"No, you’re a rabbit"
"A rabbit?" Poppy made a face "I don’t like that Why am I a rabbit?"
"Oh, rabbits are beautiful soft animals who love to be cuddled They’re very sociable, but they’re happiest in pairs"
"But they’re tih to be cos"
"Well," Poppy said in resignation, "it’s better than being a hedgehog, I suppose"
"Miss Marks is a hedgehog," Beatrix said in a rin
"And you’re a ferret, aren’t you, Bea?"
"Yes But I was leading to a point"
"Sorry, go on"