Hadrian would take his word for it. (He didn’t trust it, but he would pretend for his brother’s sake.)
Nezzie was distracted enough by Titus’ attention for Hadrian to yank the book away, never mind that it left his brother closer in the tiger’s periphery.
He flipped through the book absently, pretending not to notice various new patches of tiger drool on it. “Have you ever considered,” he asked, “discovering anything in the real world, rather than books?” That was Hadrian’s thing, obviously – and he preferred the natural world to the history of mankind as Titus did – but, given he had lost his prior partner-in-exploration by divorce, he supposed he did have an opening for a travel companion. He wasn’t sure how well he and Titus would get along like that, but – well, he could at least entertain the thought.
Nezzie was distracted enough by Titus’ attention for Hadrian to yank the book away, never mind that it left his brother closer in the tiger’s periphery.
He flipped through the book absently, pretending not to notice various new patches of tiger drool on it. “Have you ever considered,” he asked, “discovering anything in the real world, rather than books?” That was Hadrian’s thing, obviously – and he preferred the natural world to the history of mankind as Titus did – but, given he had lost his prior partner-in-exploration by divorce, he supposed he did have an opening for a travel companion. He wasn’t sure how well he and Titus would get along like that, but – well, he could at least entertain the thought.
set by bee!