Page 9 of The Bachelor Spy
And perhaps chaos did seem to follow—or precede—Grace in some way or other.
“Yes, there certainly does.” Grace surveyed the damage to keep her gaze from Nurse Wilson’s fathomlessly dark eyes. “I’ve always read that cats possess fairly unpredictable personalities.”
“Hmm …” came the nurse’s noncommittal and rather unimpressed response.
“Cats aren’t to be underestimated, and that’s a fact, my lady,” Beckett said from behind her, a little out of breath. “Dykes said the creature came in through the window Murphy left open for fresh air, bold as brass. Walked right across Henderson’s breakfast tray, it did.”
“Did it eat anything?” Grace asked, concerned.
“Just the kipper. Henderson weren’t too pleased.”
Grace turned to find Private Henderson indeed looking rather put out, though whether about the stolen kipper or the general mayhem was unclear.
Zeus chose that moment to make another lunge at the mantelpiece, his impressive paws scrabbling against the wall and shaking the mantel to such an extent the books teetered precariously.
They certainly couldn’t have that!
“Zeus!” Grace used her most authoritative voice. “Down! This instant!”
The English setter, recognizing the tone if not entirely agreeing with the command, dropped to all fours and turned to look at Grace with an expression of profound betrayal. As if she were the unreasonable one for interrupting his perfectly legitimate cat-hunting activities. Poor thing, he was just doing what dogs did, wasn’t he?
The orange cat, sensing a temporary reprieve, casually began licking its paws with studied indifference.
Grace was beginning to think the cat might very well be a female.
She reached Zeus and took hold of his collar, drawing him back with her. The cat used the opportunity to leap from the mantelpiece to the top of one of the tallest wardrobes in the house with impressive agility for something so bedraggled.
“Oh, that’s just perfect,” muttered Corporal MacLeish, watching the cat settle as if to sayI will not be moving.“Now we’ll never get it down.”
“Ta’aali ya ‘o a il-gamiila,” came a little voice from Grace’s left.
Out of nowhere—which seemed to be her usual preference for appearing—came Grace’s adopted daughter, Zahra. Her dark hair hung loose and unbound around the shoulders of her green dress. The little girl had grown at least an inch since Grace and Frederick adopted her a little over a year before, and though she spoke excellent English, anytime Grace heard Zahra’s native Arabic, she smiled.
Except when it was quite clear the eleven-year-old was angry. Then the Arabic could be rather alarming. Thankfully, Grace didn’t understand much of it.
The cat’s ears perked, and it turned its head in Zahra’s direction.
Those strange green eyes were almost otherworldly.
Donaldson, a rather good sort who was nearing the end of his convalescence if health and attitude meant anything, took Zeus’ collar from Grace. “I’ll let him out in the garden, my lady.”
“Thank you, Donaldson.” Grace smiled her thanks and turned back to Zahra.
The girl seemed completely oblivious to the audience of fifteen convalescing men in the room, one doctor, three nurses, several servants, and her mother watching her approach.
“Matkhafeesh, ana ha’khalleeki ma’aya,” came Zahra’s next words. “You can stay with me,” she added in English, her voice gentle, almost hypnotic.
The cat tilted its head and, after only a slight hesitation, jumped down to the ground. Zahra scooped her up as if they’d been friends for years.
“Well, it certainly helps to know the cat speaks Arabic, doesn’t it?” Grace nodded, stepping close to Zahra and studying the unkempt creature in her arms. “I’m certain whatever Zeus was saying to her wasn’t in a language she wished to understand.”
Zahra turned her face, her smile blooming.
Smiles had become much more frequent with the girl the longer she’d been with Frederick and Grace, but they still felt rare enough to be precious. And Grace appreciated each one. Well, the mischievous ones a little less than the sweet ones.
“I will take care of her if I may keep her.”
How on earth was Grace supposed to say no to that? But she did at least attempt some maternal sobriety. “You must keep her away from Zeus.”
