Win awoke with the vague memory of Kev having left her some time after midnight, so as not to risk the bad luck of seeing his bride on the wedding morning. Thankfully there were no reports of injury to any of the village residents, and the morning rose bright and clear. Goodbye, Ollie.”įor now, she added silently, and forced herself to walk away.Ī summer storm assailed Hampshire the night before Win and Merripen’s wedding, lashing Stony Cross with rain and high winds that damaged homes and brought down trees. “That’s perfectly all right,” Beatrix interrupted, gently disentangling her arm from the elephant, trying desperately to ignore his stare of mournful appeal. “Not a word of thanks?” Thomas asked indignantly. “If you want to view the elephant, you can pay tuppence and go through the entrance along with the other visitors.” “That’s enough,” the man declared, reasserting his dominance over the situation. Carefully he wrapped his trunk around her arm up to the elbow, a sort of elephant handshake.
His trunk reached over the fence, and Beatrix extended her arm. He faced Beatrix, standing as close as possible to the fence to view her with clear, heavily-lashed brown eyes. It seemed none of them dared to speak, watching as Ollie got up one leg at a time. The man with the bull hook let out a bark of surprised laughter. “He’s doing it,” Thomas said in gratified wonder.
The elephant reached for the apple, picked it up, and tucked it into his mouth.Ĭhewing slowly, he lurched to a sitting position, his bottom legs splayed in the manner of a young child. But for now, please get up and do as he asks.” After a moment, Ollie held his trunk up to her face, seeking the scent of her breath.
She curved her fingers against the warm, rough skin. And I’m one of them.”Īs Beatrix spoke, an inquiring trunk crept toward her hand and touched her palm gently.
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