Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76921 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Pavenham,” he said, greeting him with a handshake. “Thank you for coming.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“You must come meet my wife.”
When he presented Sir Pavenham to Jane, he bowed over her hand with a sincere, admiring smile. “How wonderful it is to make the acquaintance of a fellow animal lover. I am so sorry, Lady Townsend, about your rabbit’s demise.”
“He was a very good pet,” she said. “Thank you for your condolences.”
“Jane,” Townsend said, “you’ll be interested to learn Sir Pavenham is a member of our nation’s foremost Zoological Society, and every bit as fascinated by the animal world as you. In fact, he travels regularly to foreign lands to observe exotic animals.”
“Do you?” Jane was immediately interested. “Where do you travel? What animals do you see?”
“My particular field of study is West and Central Africa. The sub-Saharas if you will. I study gazelle and antelope, along with their food chain and ecosystem.” He glanced at Townsend. Yes, you’re doing well, friend. “I must say, in my travels through the brushlands I’ve seen a great deal of snakes, and I hear from your husband you’re in possession of a native African snake.”
“Indeed I am, though I did not import him here from Africa to be a pet. I don’t believe in such things. I believe animals should stay where they are most comfortable, and most natural, but he was brought over by some mercenary scoundrels to put on display at the Exeter Zoo. They had no idea how to tend him either. He nearly died.”
“Yes, it’s a bad business, importing animals. So you rescued this snake?”
Jane nodded. “I did. I could not leave him to expire. I tried my best with him, although as you see from today’s memorial service, things have not always gone to plan. Still, I’ve learned a great deal about the python regius species in an effort to help him.”
“Oh, he’s a king python, is he?”
Townsend stifled a smile. Pavenham’s enthusiasm wasn’t feigned.
“Do you think I might take a peek at him, Lady Townsend? I’ve never had the opportunity to observe a python up close.”
“Certainly you must see him,” said Jane, equally enthusiastic. “If you study African animals, you must meet Mr. Cuddles.”
Now it was Pavenham stifling a smile. “Mr. Cuddles, eh? I suppose it’s an apt enough name for a python.”
“Because they squeeze their prey, you see?” said Jane, smiling back at him.
Townsend felt like an idiot. He’d never realized the provenance of the name until now. Very poor naturalist he’d be.
“He is a beautiful pale snake,” she went on. “An albino, they call them. They are very rare, which is probably why someone caught him and brought him to England. Most pythons are black and brown.”
“Indeed, albinos are rare. Goodness, I would love to see him.”
Townsend looked about the gathering. The guests seemed content, drinking tea and eating biscuits and fruit. “We can take a few moments to visit,” he said at Jane’s querying look. “The kitchen is just off the back of the house.”
“I suppose he stays in the kitchen for the heat?” Pavenham asked. “What a clever solution.”
“Perhaps,” Jane said. “But it was not clever to put his cage next to Bouncer’s. If I could go back and do it again…”
Pavenham and Jane had already fallen into step together and headed off, so Townsend had to tag along behind. He might be jealous of their easy connection if he didn’t recognize it was based fully on their mutual love of exotic creatures. Pavenham only had room in his life for animals. Townsend was more handsome, besides.
He pushed the jealous thoughts from his head. Pavenham was here as a favor to him. The man frequently traveled to Africa, and king pythons were native to Africa…
Mr. Cuddles, still sluggish from his rabbit meal, had at last been moved back to his glass-sided cage. Pavenham peered in at him with a cry of delight.
“Goodness, look at this pretty lady. What a big girl she is, with an enclosure fit for a queen.”
“Lady?” She frowned at him. “Mr. Cuddles is a lady?”
“Indeed. A male python would be smaller, don’t you think?” He crouched beside the wood and glass box and studied her more closely. “Yes. With her size, I’d say she’s a two- or three-year-old female, which probably explains her recent interest in larger prey. Begging your pardon,” he said, a blush rising in his ruddy cheeks. “It is crass to remind you.”
“That’s all right. It’s hard not to remember what happened,” said Jane with a sigh. “I’m only glad no harm came to him. He—I mean, she—was very distended for a couple of days.”
“She seems healthy enough now,” he continued in a kind voice. “In fact, she appears quite hale and strong for a snake kept in captivity. You’ve done well with her.”
“I tried my best,” she said, clasping her hands together to peer into the cage beside him. “Lord Townsend helped too, along with his servants.”