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He said nothing, but his expression made it clear he saw that as more of a threat.
Chapter six
Leo
Itwasalittleafter noon when Leo was disturbed again by a knock on his study door. Unlike yesterday, the worst came to pass, as this time Peony stepped into the room, smiling cautiously. She was carrying a large wicker trug and was wearing a loose, sleeveless dress of some fine denim-type material that stopped mid-thigh and showed a long expanse of slender tanned leg.
Leo watched her walk toward his desk. Kipper got up with a wheeze and trotted on stiff, arthritic legs to sniff around Pea’s bare feet. Her toenails were painted daffodil yellow. Pea bent down to pat the dog, wild brown curls falling across her shoulders. “Hello, old girl,” she said to the dog. “Still as lovely as ever.”
“She’s ancient and she stinks,” said Leo.
Pea eyed him with reproach, still bent patting the little dog which was now leaning happily against her calf, panting up at her with rheumy eyes. “How can you say such a thing about sweet little Kipper?”
“Because she follows me everywhere and I have to smell her. I should have her put down really.”
Pea blinked in surprise and raised her eyebrows. “I know you don’t mean that, Count.”
“What’s the point in prolonging both of our suffering?”
Pea straightened up and frowned down at the little dog that was now wheezing, tongue out, from the effort of wagging its tail. The daft creature would probably exhaust itself to death with happiness at this rate.
“You don’t fool me,” said Pea, walking the final few steps to his desk and putting the basket down on it. “I know you love her really. You’re not fooling anyone.”
“Hm,” was all the reply Leo made. He looked down at his laptop, trying to remember what he had been working on. He clicked on a few emails without reading them while Pea stood and watched him, one hand on the basket’s handle, the other on her hip.
“Is there a reason you’re here disturbing me?” he said.
“We’re going on a picnic! You’ve not eaten yet?”
“No. I take lunch at two.”
“Oh. But you can make an exception today? Because…picnic!” She wiggled the basket enthusiastically, messing up the papers she had dumped it on.
Leo eyed it dubiously.
“Come on, Count. I want to thank you for letting me stay here.”
“With a picnic? Made with food from my kitchen, I presume?”
“With my delightful company!” She flicked her hair over her shoulders with a dramatic head toss and fluttering-lashes. It almost made him smile. “Who can say no to that?”
Pea
“I have to be back in forty-five minutes,” said the Count by way of acceptance. They walked from the study, Kipper following.
The Count took the picnic basket from Pea without a word. She didn’t protest the chivalry. He had at least five times her muscle mass.
“And we can’t go far anyway,” he added. “My decrepit dog can hardly walk.”
“Could you carry her?”
“She hates it. She’s far too independent for assistance.”
“Hmm,” considered Pea innocently. “Imagine that.”
The Count responded with a deepening of his usual glower.
“How about by the Lake?” she said as they left the Castle through one of its innumerable side doors.
