made her way to the house where breakfast was waiting. Samantha smiled, her eyes amused.
Well, what sort of a night did you have? Manage to sleep?'
Rayanne forced a bright smile. It took a while to get to sleep, but then I slept like a log.'
Heard the hyenas howling? They were really bad last night,' Mike said, helping himself to toast.
Rayanne mentally made a note of that hopeful, helpful news. So the hyenas didn't howl every night. One blessing.
It was at ten o'clock that Cary Jefferson called for her. He was wearing what she had learned was known as a safari suit. He looked incredibly handsome, even more so when he smiled, yet she was on her guard. He had deliberately put her in the hateful rondavel to try to frighten her. No doubt he was waiting to enjoy his victory. Well, he could wait, she told herself, as she smiled sweetly at him and said she had slept well.
A most comfortable rondavel and Samantha looked after me,' Rayanne said brightly.
Cary smiled. ' I'm glad. Samantha is a wonderful hostess.'
He led the way to the Land Rover and helped her in. Before he started the engine, he turned to her.
` You'll be given a Rover and can go wherever you like for the research you plan to do—but there's one thing, Miss Briscoe, and on this I must insist.' He looked down at her gravely. ' You are not to go out in the Land Rover alone. Is that clearly understood? I'll let you have one of the Rangers and he must always go with you.'
But why?' she asked quickly, sensing patronage in his words. I mean, I'd never get out of the Rover, of course. Does everyone have to take a Ranger with him?'
A slight movement of Cary's mouth made her think he was amused. ' No, not everyone,' he said gently. Only girls.'
But why girls? I don't need protection. I promise you I'd do nothing stupid.'
He turned his body round on the seat so that he could look down on her more comfortably.
Look, Miss Briscoe, suppose the Rover broke down. Would you enjoy getting out in the midst of a crowd of lions to cope with the problem? That's why you're to take a trained mechanic who is also a Ranger with you. Is that understood?'
Rayanne frowned as she looked at him. Yet he was right.
I understand,' she said reluctantly.
It seemed to be his turn to frown as he looked at her. She was wearing white jeans and a vividly striped black and white blouse.
' Very attractive outfit,' he said thoughtfully, ' but hardly suitable for this. I suggest you run along to your rondavel and change into something else—brown, black, navy blue, or khaki.'
Instantly she was on the defensive. `What's wrong with what I'm wearing?'
He smiled. Nothing, but it's not for now. I
quite sympathise with you, Miss Briscoe. A small person has to wear something strikingly startling or else she—or he—will never be noticed, but I would prefer a little less publicity this time. The monkeys are attracted by bright colours and can be a darned nuisance. Do you mind?'
She hesitated. He had no right to criticise .. . yet he had, in a way. After all, he knew more about the Reserve than she did.
' I'll be as quick as I can,' she promised.
She almost tripped up as she ran fast to her rondavel, hastily changing into a pair of dull dark blue jeans and a matching blouse. She looked in the mirror and saw that some of her whiteness had gone. Anger, obviously, was doing her good.
As she hurried back to the Land Rover she wondered if she had a right to be angry. After all, Cary Jefferson was right about the danger of a Land Rover breaking down. She shivered at the thought of it happening and a great crowd of enormous elephants coming along the road towards her! This would be a time in which she would need a man, not only able to make the engine go, or change the tyre but to protect her as well. As for the clothes—! She hadn't been sure what sort of appointment she would have with Mr Jefferson and, thinking he might be going to introduce her to the rest of the staff, some of whom
Well, what sort of a night did you have? Manage to sleep?'
Rayanne forced a bright smile. It took a while to get to sleep, but then I slept like a log.'
Heard the hyenas howling? They were really bad last night,' Mike said, helping himself to toast.
Rayanne mentally made a note of that hopeful, helpful news. So the hyenas didn't howl every night. One blessing.
It was at ten o'clock that Cary Jefferson called for her. He was wearing what she had learned was known as a safari suit. He looked incredibly handsome, even more so when he smiled, yet she was on her guard. He had deliberately put her in the hateful rondavel to try to frighten her. No doubt he was waiting to enjoy his victory. Well, he could wait, she told herself, as she smiled sweetly at him and said she had slept well.
A most comfortable rondavel and Samantha looked after me,' Rayanne said brightly.
Cary smiled. ' I'm glad. Samantha is a wonderful hostess.'
He led the way to the Land Rover and helped her in. Before he started the engine, he turned to her.
` You'll be given a Rover and can go wherever you like for the research you plan to do—but there's one thing, Miss Briscoe, and on this I must insist.' He looked down at her gravely. ' You are not to go out in the Land Rover alone. Is that clearly understood? I'll let you have one of the Rangers and he must always go with you.'
But why?' she asked quickly, sensing patronage in his words. I mean, I'd never get out of the Rover, of course. Does everyone have to take a Ranger with him?'
A slight movement of Cary's mouth made her think he was amused. ' No, not everyone,' he said gently. Only girls.'
But why girls? I don't need protection. I promise you I'd do nothing stupid.'
He turned his body round on the seat so that he could look down on her more comfortably.
Look, Miss Briscoe, suppose the Rover broke down. Would you enjoy getting out in the midst of a crowd of lions to cope with the problem? That's why you're to take a trained mechanic who is also a Ranger with you. Is that understood?'
Rayanne frowned as she looked at him. Yet he was right.
I understand,' she said reluctantly.
It seemed to be his turn to frown as he looked at her. She was wearing white jeans and a vividly striped black and white blouse.
' Very attractive outfit,' he said thoughtfully, ' but hardly suitable for this. I suggest you run along to your rondavel and change into something else—brown, black, navy blue, or khaki.'
Instantly she was on the defensive. `What's wrong with what I'm wearing?'
He smiled. Nothing, but it's not for now. I
quite sympathise with you, Miss Briscoe. A small person has to wear something strikingly startling or else she—or he—will never be noticed, but I would prefer a little less publicity this time. The monkeys are attracted by bright colours and can be a darned nuisance. Do you mind?'
She hesitated. He had no right to criticise .. . yet he had, in a way. After all, he knew more about the Reserve than she did.
' I'll be as quick as I can,' she promised.
She almost tripped up as she ran fast to her rondavel, hastily changing into a pair of dull dark blue jeans and a matching blouse. She looked in the mirror and saw that some of her whiteness had gone. Anger, obviously, was doing her good.
As she hurried back to the Land Rover she wondered if she had a right to be angry. After all, Cary Jefferson was right about the danger of a Land Rover breaking down. She shivered at the thought of it happening and a great crowd of enormous elephants coming along the road towards her! This would be a time in which she would need a man, not only able to make the engine go, or change the tyre but to protect her as well. As for the clothes—! She hadn't been sure what sort of appointment she would have with Mr Jefferson and, thinking he might be going to introduce her to the rest of the staff, some of whom
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