“Yes,” he said, looking at her and smiling. “That’s my problem.”

“I’ll see what we can do.”

“Thank you, Miss Cotton, and you make sure you bring Eadie back when she’s old enough to ride the camels.”

“I certainly will, Mr. Stilwell. Please excuse me, I just need to catch a friend before she leaves.”

When Alice joined the couple midway through their conversation, Ursula was saying, “. . . you know these keepers really are a mine of information. One was just telling me you can hypnotize a lobster. Alligators too, apparently.”

Theo appeared from the crowd and came to stand beside Alice.

“Did you know that they’re using the webs of black widow spiders to manufacture precision instruments in the United States now?” he said.

“That’s remarkable,” said Bridget, “but how?”

“The strands are as strong as steel or platinum wire, so they can use them in telescopes,” he said, smiling.

“They wouldn’t have much luck here at the zoo—all the poisonous insects and reptiles were destroyed on the first day of war,” Alice replied.

“Well, now that we know it’s safe . . . can I have a cuddle?” Ursula said.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Alice replied. She lowered Eadie into Ursula’s arms. Her daughter was asleep, ebony lashes resting on her rosy cheeks, air whistling through lips puckered into a bow.

“Would it be terribly selfish of me to say I’ll miss you?” Ursula said, looking up at Alice with moist eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere! You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“But I thought”—Ursula glanced at Theo, then lowered her voice—“didn’t he ask you to go with him?”

“Yes, but he’s changed his mind. We’re staying.”

There hadn’t been the chance to tell any of them about Theo’s agreement with Walter, and the plan to buy him out. According to Walter, three thousand miles away wasn’t far enough for the man who had jilted his daughter.

“That’s wonderful,” Ursula said with a grin. “You wouldn’t want to deprive the publishing world of such immense talent.”

“I know. And besides”—Alice looked at Bridget and back at her friend—“you do get to meet such interesting people.” Ursula gave Eadie an affectionate squeeze and handed her back to her mother.

Theo moved closer to Alice, placing his arm around her, and when she turned her head toward him, he kissed her tenderly on the lips. When he pulled away, she gazed longingly into his eyes and smiled, then they both looked out over the zoological gardens at the sun-burnished trees and the citrus skies.