AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Abigail,” Helen said. “Please apologize to Sir Alistair for interrupting him. A lady never interrupts a gentleman.”
Alistair’s eyebrows shot up at this piece of information. He took two long steps, catching up with her and bending his head near hers. “Never?”
“Not unless the gentleman is being extremely stubborn,” she replied serenely.
“Ah.”
“I’m sorry,” Abigail muttered.
Alistair nodded. “Hold the puppy tight, now.”
“Why?” Jamie looked up.
“Because the badger sett is right over there.” Alistair pointed with his walking stick. The badgers lived in a low mound, covered in gorse. “See the freshly dug earth? That’s one of the tunnels.”
“Ohhh.” Jamie squatted to look. “Will we see one?”
“Probably not. They’re rather shy, but they can kill a dog, especially a small one, if they’re challenged.”
Jamie hugged Puddles to his chest until the puppy squeaked, and whispered hoarsely, “Where do you think they are?”
Alistair shrugged. “Perhaps in their den asleep. Maybe out hunting grubs.”
“Grubs?” Jamie wrinkled his nose.
He nodded. “That’s what they seem to like.”
“Look at this!” Abigail very carefully squatted with her skirts tucked under her rear.
Alistair went to where she pointed and saw a small black mound. “Oh, well done! You found a badger’s scat.”
Behind him, Helen made a muffled sound, but he ignored her. He squatted next to Abigail and, taking a twig, poked at the mostly dry scat. “Notice these.”
He scraped out a couple black flakes.
Abigail peered closer. “What are they?”
“The carapace of a beetle.” He shrugged off his satchel and opened a pocket, rummaging until he found a very small glass jar. He picked up the beetle parts and dropped them in the jar, stopping the top with a tiny cork.
“What’s a carapace?” Jamie asked. He was squatting now, too, breathing anxiously through his mouth.
“The hard outer shell.” Alistair poked some more and found a thin, pale bone.
“Oh, what animal is that from?” Abigail asked with interest.
“I’m not sure.” The bone was only a fragment. He held it up before placing it in another small glass jar. “Possibly a small mammal such as a mouse or mole.”
“Huh,” Abigail said, and straightened. “Are there other clues to the badgers that we might find about?”
“Sometimes there is debris in the earth dug up by the badger.” Alistair picked up his specimen satchel and strolled closer to the burrow hole. A movement in the dark depths made him stop and catch Abigail’s shoulder. “Look.”
“A baby!” Abigail breathed.
“Where? Where?” Jamie whispered loudly.
“See there?” Alistair bent his head near the boy’s and pointed the direction.
“Coo!”
