them. Conrad barely suppressed a “thank goodness” and reached for his ever-present handkerchief, which wasn’t at all white any longer.
Such a pity .
They stood in front of a smaller pond than the one where the goose had taken Lucy’s hat. Ducks waddled about them. Their brown color ing with white stripes on the neck contrasted sharply with their blue bills.
That resembles an ensemble Anna might choose to wear.
One duck made a straight course for Conrad. He jumped away, trying to escape contact with the bird. “Wh-what is that horrid creature doing?”
Lucy frowned. “Conrad, don’t be rude.” If she was trying to be outwardly polite, then so should he.
“ Miss Ashbrook is right, Lofton, the duck is only curious about you.”
“ Well I’m not curious about him!”
The duck waddled closer.
Proop-proop!
Lucy giggled. “What an odd sound they make.”
Oliver nodded. “Yes, very odd. These are northern pintail ducks. The males have that odd whistle you just heard, while the females only quack.”
Taking a step closer to the duck, Lucy raised her eyebrows. “This duck is a male?”
“ Yes.”
“ And he seems to have taken an interest in Conrad.”
Face turning an appalling shade of red, Conrad screeched, “And what is that supposed to mean?”
She waved her hand at him. “Oh… nothing.” When she dared glance at Oliver, she caught him biting his lip, trying not to smile. One side of her mouth quivered in response. Given a good reason, or any reason at all, a laugh might be forthcoming, and very soon.
“ Look.” She pointed at a large group of ducks. “They’re going in for a swim.”
A dozen or so ducks, both male and female quacked and proop-prooped their way into the water. Lucy followed Oliver to the edge of the pond to see them better. She turned. “Conrad, come and see this, they’re so amusing!”
“ I have no doubt you will find them amusing, Lucy, as you seem to be smiling, giggling, or laughing at every little thing today. Although why, I haven’t a clue.”
Oliver leaned toward Lucy and whispered , “I know of a way to entice him forward. Are you game?”
“ Of course.”
Reaching his arm out and around Lucy’s shoulders, Oliver pulled her tight ly to his side. He whispered again. “Feel free to play along.”
She nodded. Let’s give this a try, shall we? “Oh… my… Mr. Barrow…”
He sputtered a laugh but covered his mouth with his free hand. “Yes, my dear?”
“ You are so very strong.”
Muttering came from behin d. A stomp of a boot. Had Conrad just cursed?
“ Miss Ashbrook, I must tell you what’s in my heart.” Oliver tilted his head near hers.
She turned her face toward him and fluttered her eyelashes. “Please. Do tell.”
“ Well, I know we’ve only just met, but…”
“ Yes?”
“ I… feel as if I’ve known you my entire life.”
“ Go on, darling.”
“ It may seem sudden, but will you do me the honor of…”
“ Now just a minute!” Conrad stormed up to them, standing beside Lucy. “What is all this?”
Lucy stepped away from Oliver and burst out laughing.
Oliver did the same. “Just having sport with you, old man.”
“ Well, I don’t find it funny. Not in the least. How inappropriate of you, Lucy. You should be ashamed of yourself. Acting in such a manner. Flaunting your… your physical self to a man. You should leave such barbaric displays to the awful creatures that live here .”
Lucy smiled and indicated the ducks behind Conrad. “You mean… such as that?”
Conrad spun around toward the water. His eyes bulged and his mouth hung open. “Well… I… well!”
Oliver laughed. “That’s just how they feed.”
Ducks swam about in the water, splashing and paddling.
But two… two in the middle of the pond weren’t swimming. They were fishing for something beneath the water.
Tail feathers and bottoms stuck high in the air.
A red splash of color appeared on Conrad’s face. “That’s disgusting. I
Such a pity .
They stood in front of a smaller pond than the one where the goose had taken Lucy’s hat. Ducks waddled about them. Their brown color ing with white stripes on the neck contrasted sharply with their blue bills.
That resembles an ensemble Anna might choose to wear.
One duck made a straight course for Conrad. He jumped away, trying to escape contact with the bird. “Wh-what is that horrid creature doing?”
Lucy frowned. “Conrad, don’t be rude.” If she was trying to be outwardly polite, then so should he.
“ Miss Ashbrook is right, Lofton, the duck is only curious about you.”
“ Well I’m not curious about him!”
The duck waddled closer.
Proop-proop!
Lucy giggled. “What an odd sound they make.”
Oliver nodded. “Yes, very odd. These are northern pintail ducks. The males have that odd whistle you just heard, while the females only quack.”
Taking a step closer to the duck, Lucy raised her eyebrows. “This duck is a male?”
“ Yes.”
“ And he seems to have taken an interest in Conrad.”
Face turning an appalling shade of red, Conrad screeched, “And what is that supposed to mean?”
She waved her hand at him. “Oh… nothing.” When she dared glance at Oliver, she caught him biting his lip, trying not to smile. One side of her mouth quivered in response. Given a good reason, or any reason at all, a laugh might be forthcoming, and very soon.
“ Look.” She pointed at a large group of ducks. “They’re going in for a swim.”
A dozen or so ducks, both male and female quacked and proop-prooped their way into the water. Lucy followed Oliver to the edge of the pond to see them better. She turned. “Conrad, come and see this, they’re so amusing!”
“ I have no doubt you will find them amusing, Lucy, as you seem to be smiling, giggling, or laughing at every little thing today. Although why, I haven’t a clue.”
Oliver leaned toward Lucy and whispered , “I know of a way to entice him forward. Are you game?”
“ Of course.”
Reaching his arm out and around Lucy’s shoulders, Oliver pulled her tight ly to his side. He whispered again. “Feel free to play along.”
She nodded. Let’s give this a try, shall we? “Oh… my… Mr. Barrow…”
He sputtered a laugh but covered his mouth with his free hand. “Yes, my dear?”
“ You are so very strong.”
Muttering came from behin d. A stomp of a boot. Had Conrad just cursed?
“ Miss Ashbrook, I must tell you what’s in my heart.” Oliver tilted his head near hers.
She turned her face toward him and fluttered her eyelashes. “Please. Do tell.”
“ Well, I know we’ve only just met, but…”
“ Yes?”
“ I… feel as if I’ve known you my entire life.”
“ Go on, darling.”
“ It may seem sudden, but will you do me the honor of…”
“ Now just a minute!” Conrad stormed up to them, standing beside Lucy. “What is all this?”
Lucy stepped away from Oliver and burst out laughing.
Oliver did the same. “Just having sport with you, old man.”
“ Well, I don’t find it funny. Not in the least. How inappropriate of you, Lucy. You should be ashamed of yourself. Acting in such a manner. Flaunting your… your physical self to a man. You should leave such barbaric displays to the awful creatures that live here .”
Lucy smiled and indicated the ducks behind Conrad. “You mean… such as that?”
Conrad spun around toward the water. His eyes bulged and his mouth hung open. “Well… I… well!”
Oliver laughed. “That’s just how they feed.”
Ducks swam about in the water, splashing and paddling.
But two… two in the middle of the pond weren’t swimming. They were fishing for something beneath the water.
Tail feathers and bottoms stuck high in the air.
A red splash of color appeared on Conrad’s face. “That’s disgusting. I
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