Read Online Love Birds of Regent's Park by Ruth J. Hartman - Free Book Online
Authors: Ruth J. Hartman
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cannot bear to stand here and watch them do that .”
Oliver sighed. “Very well. We’ll head on to another type of bird. This one doesn’t feed in water. So at least you won’t have to see that anymore.”
“ Saints be praised!” Conrad shivered, as if trying to dislodge the hideous scene he’d witnessed.
They trom ped through more tall grass, climbed a hill or two, carefully picked their way through a marshy glen, and stopped by a large grove of trees.
Pointing to the tree above them, Oliver’s eyes took on the twinkle Lucy had come to expect when he spoke of any of the birds. The man did love his fowl.
“Right above us, we have a common cuckoo.”
Conrad wiped his forehead with his now grungy, trusty friend and stuffed it in his pocket. “Pardon? A what?”
“ Common cuckoo.”
“ That’s an absurd name.”
Lucy gritted her teeth. So is Conrad Croome .
Oliver, with one eyebrow raised, crossed his arms. “Nevertheless, that is his name. He’s breathtaking, isn’t he?”
Conrad rolled his eyes. “If you insist.”
“ Oh, I do. I certainly do.”
Oh my… Conrad’s name and the bird’s have the same initials! A giggle slipped out. Lucy smacked her hand over her mouth. “Oh, excuse me. I… uh, coughed. Must have swallowed a bug.”
Conrad blanched. “That’s repulsive.”
“ Nevertheless… ” A second giggle threatened. Control yourself, Lucy! She looked up at the bird as she tried to compose herself. He really was beautiful, with his grey feathers and black and white belly. “Oliver, what does this bird like to eat?”
“ Hairy caterpillars.”
Conrad ’s lips formed a perfect O shape.
“ It would seem the, uh, hair would be uncomfortable when the bird swallowed it.” Lucy ran her hand down her throat.
“ Lucy!” Conrad’s scowl was no less scornful than a rigid schoolmaster.
She shrugged. “Makes perfect sense to me. Doesn’t it to you, Mr. Barrow?”
“Absolutely .”
“ Why am I not surprised?” Conrad waved away a fly intent on his nose. “And why do these insects keep pestering me?”
Oliver barked out a laugh. “They are pests, are they not?”
Conrad glared. “Oh, that’s rich. Unlike you .”
“ Conrad!” Lucy stomped her boot, splattering mud across his pant leg. And she would not apologize for it, either.
Oliver looked from one to the other. “Listen, why don’t we get back to observing the birds, shall we?”
“ Of course.” Lucy glared at Conrad, who glared back.
“ Splendid.” A reddish hue crept up Oliver’s neck.
D rat Conrad for making that rude remark about Oliver not having money. Now he’s embarrassed.
“ This cuckoo is often mistaken for a falcon in flight. And has a habit of laying its eggs in other bird’s nests so it doesn’t have to raise them itself. Denying responsibility of parenthood, if you will.”
“ There’s a word for that in human terms.” Conrad glanced at Lucy. “But I won’t repeat it in mixed company.”
Lucy smiled s weetly. “And just whom are you mixing? Hmm? Men and women, or humans and birds?”
Or Conrad Croomes and common cuckoos?
He huffed out a breath. “Let’s just say that if I ever came face to face with one of those repulsive cuckoos, I’d give it a tongue lashing for being so outlandishly unseemly in its behavior.”
“ Would you now? They are birds , after all.” Oliver crossed his arms.
Was it Lucy’s imagination, or had he grown taller? And had his shoulders broadened and his arm muscles enlarged? Lucy lightly clapped her hands together, so small a movement that neither man saw. Good for you, Oliver, for protecting the reputation of your birds.
Conrad puffed out his chest. “Yes. I would. Why I would say—”
The insulted cuckoo dove from the tree a nd plunged toward them, squawking its annoyance.
Or rather, directly toward Conrad.
“ Ahh!” He batted the bird away, but not before the cuckoo had knocked Conrad’s hat off and absconded with a thatch of the
Oliver sighed. “Very well. We’ll head on to another type of bird. This one doesn’t feed in water. So at least you won’t have to see that anymore.”
“ Saints be praised!” Conrad shivered, as if trying to dislodge the hideous scene he’d witnessed.
They trom ped through more tall grass, climbed a hill or two, carefully picked their way through a marshy glen, and stopped by a large grove of trees.
Pointing to the tree above them, Oliver’s eyes took on the twinkle Lucy had come to expect when he spoke of any of the birds. The man did love his fowl.
“Right above us, we have a common cuckoo.”
Conrad wiped his forehead with his now grungy, trusty friend and stuffed it in his pocket. “Pardon? A what?”
“ Common cuckoo.”
“ That’s an absurd name.”
Lucy gritted her teeth. So is Conrad Croome .
Oliver, with one eyebrow raised, crossed his arms. “Nevertheless, that is his name. He’s breathtaking, isn’t he?”
Conrad rolled his eyes. “If you insist.”
“ Oh, I do. I certainly do.”
Oh my… Conrad’s name and the bird’s have the same initials! A giggle slipped out. Lucy smacked her hand over her mouth. “Oh, excuse me. I… uh, coughed. Must have swallowed a bug.”
Conrad blanched. “That’s repulsive.”
“ Nevertheless… ” A second giggle threatened. Control yourself, Lucy! She looked up at the bird as she tried to compose herself. He really was beautiful, with his grey feathers and black and white belly. “Oliver, what does this bird like to eat?”
“ Hairy caterpillars.”
Conrad ’s lips formed a perfect O shape.
“ It would seem the, uh, hair would be uncomfortable when the bird swallowed it.” Lucy ran her hand down her throat.
“ Lucy!” Conrad’s scowl was no less scornful than a rigid schoolmaster.
She shrugged. “Makes perfect sense to me. Doesn’t it to you, Mr. Barrow?”
“Absolutely .”
“ Why am I not surprised?” Conrad waved away a fly intent on his nose. “And why do these insects keep pestering me?”
Oliver barked out a laugh. “They are pests, are they not?”
Conrad glared. “Oh, that’s rich. Unlike you .”
“ Conrad!” Lucy stomped her boot, splattering mud across his pant leg. And she would not apologize for it, either.
Oliver looked from one to the other. “Listen, why don’t we get back to observing the birds, shall we?”
“ Of course.” Lucy glared at Conrad, who glared back.
“ Splendid.” A reddish hue crept up Oliver’s neck.
D rat Conrad for making that rude remark about Oliver not having money. Now he’s embarrassed.
“ This cuckoo is often mistaken for a falcon in flight. And has a habit of laying its eggs in other bird’s nests so it doesn’t have to raise them itself. Denying responsibility of parenthood, if you will.”
“ There’s a word for that in human terms.” Conrad glanced at Lucy. “But I won’t repeat it in mixed company.”
Lucy smiled s weetly. “And just whom are you mixing? Hmm? Men and women, or humans and birds?”
Or Conrad Croomes and common cuckoos?
He huffed out a breath. “Let’s just say that if I ever came face to face with one of those repulsive cuckoos, I’d give it a tongue lashing for being so outlandishly unseemly in its behavior.”
“ Would you now? They are birds , after all.” Oliver crossed his arms.
Was it Lucy’s imagination, or had he grown taller? And had his shoulders broadened and his arm muscles enlarged? Lucy lightly clapped her hands together, so small a movement that neither man saw. Good for you, Oliver, for protecting the reputation of your birds.
Conrad puffed out his chest. “Yes. I would. Why I would say—”
The insulted cuckoo dove from the tree a nd plunged toward them, squawking its annoyance.
Or rather, directly toward Conrad.
“ Ahh!” He batted the bird away, but not before the cuckoo had knocked Conrad’s hat off and absconded with a thatch of the
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