Lilian Jackson Braun - Cat 12 Who Knew A Cardinal

"Do you like it? Now that my hair is turning gray, I think I should start wearing brighter colors. Did you have brunch at the Palomino Paddock?"

"No, but the Bushlands gave a dinner party, and I met the editor of the Lockmaster Logger - also a fellow who trains horses and publishes a newsletter called Stablechat. " Qwilleran was observing her reactions closely. "He said he'd met you at the wedding. Perhaps you remember a stocky man with a reddish beard and receding hair."

"I don't recall," said Polly, although he thought her cheeks became suddenly hollow. "There were so many guests - about three hundred at the reception. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thanks."

"Coffee?"

"No, thanks. In the snapshots you were dancing with this fellow. His name is Steve, as I recall."

"I think perhaps I do remember him," she admitted uncertainly. "I also met the woman who played Katharine in Henry VIII. We should invite her and Steve up here some weekend. We could have drinks at the barn and then dinner at the Mill."

Polly turned pale, and he relented. He had taunted her long enough; it pained him to see her squirm. Charitably, he asked if she might be free for dinner.

"I have a dinner meeting with the library board," she said with obvious regret. "Tomorrow night... perhaps?"

"There's a funeral in Lockmaster tomorrow, so I'd better not count on dinner. The editor down there has a type collection he wants me to see."

"How about Wednesday?"

"That's the judging of the Tipsy contest. But we'll get together soon." He stood up. "I've got to get this thing home before it starts leaking."

"What is it?"

"A frozen rabbit from Toodle's. For the Siamese."

"Really? Are they eating wild game now?"

"Well, they like venison and pheasant, and when they started knocking the rabbit out of my typecase, I assumed they were trying to tell me something."

"Perhaps they want you to read Watership Down," she said, and it was not clear whether she was teasing or being helpful.

After two years of intimacy, during which Qwilleran had confided in Polly about Koko's uncanny modes of communication, he was still unsure whether she really believed. He sometimes suspected she humored him - going along with the gag, so to speak. Nevertheless, he took her suggestion and checked out Watership Down from the library's fiction room. He had read it before, and it merited being read aloud.

At the apple barn he was greeted vociferously by his housemates, who showed no interest in the package from the butcher but plenty of interest in the library book. Either they knew it was all about rabbits, or they knew it had been previously borrowed by subscribers who lived with pets. He tossed the frozen rabbit into the freezer and invited the Siamese to join him for a read in the library area. Here were deep-cushioned lounge chairs in pale taupe leather, arranged around one wall of the fireplace cube. White lacquered shelves were loaded with old books. Over the white lacquered desk hung the printer's typecase, its eighty-nine compartments half-filled with old type-blocks.

"Is everyone comfortable?" Qwilleran asked as he opened the book. His feet were on the ottoman, Yum Yum was on his lap, and Koko made a comfortable bundle at his elbow. No sooner had he read the first sentence, which consisted of only four words, than the telephone rang. Grumbling mildly, he disturbed his listeners and went to the desk to take the call.

"Hello... Is this... uh, Mr. Qwilleran?" asked a.. wavering voice.

"Yes."

"This is Fiona in Lockmaster - Fiona Stucker."

"Of course. I recognized your voice," he said. "I'm sorry about Saturday night, but we were all upset about Mrs. Inglehart, and it was hardly an occasion for celebration."

"Ummm... yes, it's too bad. She was a nice old lady."

"Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?"

"I don't think so. I have to work."

There was an awkward pause during which Qwilleran heard voices in the background. He said, "How does Robin feel about being a winner?"

"He's all excited. He's only seventeen, you know."

There was another pause, and Qwilleran filled in with the usual pleasantry. "How's the weather down there? It's a beautiful day in Pickax."

"It's nice here, too."

Employing his professional escape clause he said, "I'm sorry our conversation will have to be brief, but I have a newspaper deadline."

"Oh. I'm sorry," she said. "Steve wanted me to call you about something."

"In connection with what?"

"Ummm... would you like to... buy a horse farm?"

"A horse farm!"

"There's one for sale. He says it's a good bet."

"I'm afraid that's not my kind of venture, Fiona."

"It's the Amberton farm. Steve is stablemaster, you know, and Robbie works there."

"I know, but - "

"He gave me a list of things to tell you. Want me to read them?"

"Go ahead."

Koko was on the desk, standing on his hind legs and reaching for the typecase. Qwilleran pushed him away, at the same time listening attentively as Fiona read: