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Aunt Cat blushed “Yes, please, Arthur If you don’t mind”

I side-eyed her as she took a seat I wouldn’t e at the butler, but I was going to stare at her so she knew I’d seen

She caught my eye and immediately looked away

Did she—

Did Aunt Cat have a crush on Arthur?

Well, well, well

To paraphrase her words two days ago, it looked like she had so to do

“Milady” Arthur set a teacup and saucer down in front of her, being very careful not to ar for you”

Hmm

He was being too careful

Wait Did he have a crush on her?

Oh, I was being daft, wasn’t I? I’d spent too long thiswrapped up in other people’s love lives I clearly needed to get out of the house for a little while, and the garden centre seemed to have my name on it

It wasn’t as though I was having much luck with the blasted website

Arthur set a newspaper and cup of tea down seconds before my father made his appearance

“Ah, thank you, Arthur” Daddy tied the robe of his dressing gown around his waist “Catherine, Gabi Good ”

“Morning, Daddy,” I said, sipping my tea “Did you sleep well?”

“No, there was a dreadful racket co Did anyone hear it?” He looked around “Sounded like a squealing pig You haven’t snuck any in, have you, Catherine?”

“Hoould one sneak a pig anywhere, Henry?”

“You ht ducks last week”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Perhaps you need to see a doctor”

“There are eight extra ducks in the pond If you’re going to sneak them in, at least make them the same breeds as our old ones Those black ones stick out like sore thumbs”

He had a point

I hadn’t seen the new ducks in person yet thanks to the weather, but from the pictures, the black ones were definitely not very discreet, compared to our other normal… ducks

“My Cayugas are beautiful, and you won’t say a bad word against them” Aunt Cat sniffed and set down her teacup “Perhaps you need an animal of your own, Henry, to keep you company”

“I have plenty of coer so he could flip the page of his newspaper “And there are enough ani anymore”

“About that—”

“No”