Peter and Wendell by Bonnie Dee

Author:Bonnie Dee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnie Dee

Sincerely, Wendell J. Rhodes.

Peter was smiling so broadly he could hardly chew and swallow his food. A family emergency, of course. Odd that he hadn't really given consideration to the fact Wendell might have had a serious problem or illness or even have gotten into an accident of some sort. The idea of any such horrible thing happening to Wendell was unimaginable. Peter wondered what the family emergency had been and if he should offer sympathy and flowers when they met.

"Do you wish to respond to your correspondence, sir?" Abernathy appeared in the breakfast room like a ghost, startling him. Peter suspected the man enjoyed surprising his employer.

"I'll have two notes finished directly. Don't wait for the next post but hire a telegraph boy." He paused, remembering his decision of the previous night. "By the way, Abernathy, you should begin seeking other employment as I must cut the household staff. Sorry. I'll give you a good recommendation."

Not a ripple disturbed the butler's calm façade. "Very well, sir." He withdrew from the room as silently as he'd come.

"Frightening man," Peter muttered, then turned his attention to scrawling notes to Colonel Wentworth and Wendell.

* * * *

One o'clock could not come soon enough. Peter arrived at the zoo a bit early and enjoyed strolling around the place he'd infiltrated only two nights before. It had been a jolly lark and now that he was in a good mood he could see that. There was the spot where Andrew had recited a soliloquy about freedom while Stephen opened the monkey's cage. The man had a surprisingly deft hand with a lock pick. Over there was where Shakes had tripped in the darkness and fallen face-first into peacock dung.

With the others safely out of range, Peter had climbed onto the lions' cage and removed the lock with bolt cutters. He'd swung the gate open and waited for the lion to give a bone-shattering roar and leap to freedom. But the big cat had merely grumbled and rolled over, showing no interest in leaving its cage. Its weary listlessness had nearly broken Peter's heart. Then one of the night guards had come running and he'd had no time to mourn. It was his turn to escape.

When his pocket watch informed him it was nearly one, Peter entered the swampy humidity of the reptile house. Near the crocodiles' moat, a familiar shock of light brown hair topped a dark gray overcoat. Peter's joyful mood was stoked higher at the mere sight of Wendell from a distance.

He practically skipped over to join him at the enclosure. "Good afternoon."

Wendell smiled. "Good afternoon."

And there they stood for several moments, stupidly grinning at each other. It was as if they'd been apart for weeks rather than one long day.

"I'm sorry to hear about your family troubles. I hope everything is all right."

"Yes. It's my brother John. He's left university for some American girl. My parents are--"

Peter let out a whoop of laughter. "Oh dear. I can imagine. Good for him."

Wendell frowned.

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