He snorted into the amber liquid and sucked a measure through his teeth. Fire burned the back of his throat, 'both' he said with a smile that was almost a snarl. 'the blighters seem intent to eat me out of house and home.' he said not entirely sure if he was referring to the animals or the so-called friends who kept giving them to him. He fought the impulse to roll his eyes at the dog who was an affectionate animal - who go nowhere near the attention he needed from his emotionally stunted master.

Pleased the other man had taken a seat and not done that weird thing of loitering and wringing his hands too odd and overawed by being in the presence of the master of the house to actually behave like a human being. The head gardener did it and he veritably hated the man.

'Any of them sick or....' he struggled to think of something else that seemed expensive, 'pregnant?'

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