12:13

“No, no. no…” squeaked Caroline, ” I won’t! He can’t make me…”

“Edward. You are mistaken. It was I who had been making introductions before the… disturbances, shall we call them.” The beaver had started to reagin the smugness around the eyes and the expression looked to conquer his whole face if he wasn’t careful. “Shall I continue or would you prefer…?”

“My mistake. But then I generally am mistaken about anything concerning you young kit are I not? Pray continue.”

“Yes, you don’t know a lot… about me, do you. But let’s not dwell, My final guest is someone we all know, well with the exception of you young miss.” Rowan responded to the beaver’s unctuous tone with a moue of disdain. “Yes, even if we thought otherwise, we all have an intimate acquaintance with him.”

The beaver turned to Caroline. “Please relax, I have no intention of letting your father take you home again. Time and trouble have made that a certainty.”

“And as for you Gareth, to paraphrase a most famous sire, ‘He is your father!'” The beaver’s silky tone finally cracked and he started giggling gleefully to himself at the sight of Gareth’s stunned expression.