The pleasing sound of her soft, crooning voice along with the gentle pressure of her small, stroking hand on his head filled Satyr with warm-hearted relish. Instinctively, he raised his head, licking at her smooth hand to impart his growing attachment to her. Whatever had troubled her was of relative unimportance, his keen animal intuition made him know, as with that hand moving to his neck, she hugged him against her soft, outer thigh.

"I'm not sure but what you might be some reincarnated Lothario from another time," the curvaceous, doting young wife teased, happy that they exercised a six month dog impounding law in England before you could bring them in. Otherwise, she'd never known the tying bond that could grow between a human and their faithful canine friends. She had always loved them but never owned one herself. It hadn't been until after Uncle Bill's passing away and her own marriage to Steve that Aunt Janie had discovered this wonderful animal. Now, he had become one of their own little family after only a week, and already she was dreading the day that Aunt Janie would come home to claim him. "Supposing we look into the fridge to see what we can find for you, handsome? I think there might even be a nice big ham bone there."

The noble animal whined, almost as if he knew what she were saying, Karen thought, embracing him against her leg and stroking his head once more. He whimpered and she lightly laughed. The darling. She hoped she was doing right by letting him traipse out and around the neighborhood. Aunt Janie had been in such a rush that she'd given her little advice concerning him. And inasmuch as the neighbors had all taken to him, she couldn't see any harm in letting him get out and romp a bit. He seemed to know where home was and that was the main thing… along, of course, with his gentle temperament.

Although she very much enjoyed taking him on his leash grocery shopping with her, there'd been several times he'd been off gallivanting when she couldn't.