sounded ghastly, according to Samantha, she had thought she should dress up.
As she reached the Land Rover, Cary smiled,
' You were quick!'
' Well trained,' she said. ' Five brothers.' Help! ' he laughed as he started the engine. No sisters?'
None. Dad wanted six sons. I was a disappointment.' Without realising it, her voice was wistful. It had always hurt her, the knowledge that she had disappointed her parents. They made no secret of it. She had disappointed them in so many ways, for she had only just scraped through her exams while her brothers had got Honours. All five were lawyers. Only she was drifting, not knowing what she wanted to do. It had been Uncle Joe's suggestion that she write a thesis on wild life conservation that had seemed the answer.
Glancing quickly at the man by her side, she was no longer sure that it was. The Land Rover bumped over the earth road and went through the gate of the wire fence to the main road.
' I'll introduce you to the staff first,' Cary Jefferson said cheerfully, and Rayanne knew dismay. It was just as she had thought! He had made her change into these drab clothes and look a fright and then let her meet the staff members that Mrs Crisp disliked so much! What would they think of her? Had he done it on purpose? To cut her down to size? she wondered.
Again she quickly glanced at him. His profile was almost more handsome than his full face, with that square chin, the rather large nose and the arrogant lift to his head. He was whistling softly. She seemed to know the tune, but could not name it.
Was he resenting her? she wondered. Was she
wasting his precious time? Yet why had he to show her round? Surely Mike Crisp could have done it? Or was Uncle Joe's influence on Cary Jefferson so strong?
Later she was to realise that she had been so wrapped up in self-pity and resentment that she hardly noticed the beauty of the house they reached, a long L-shaped white house with the usual wide stoep. She could see the river below, much closer than at the rondavel where she had slept, or rather tried to sleep! There was a sloping lawn down to the water, shaded by tall red-flowered flamboyant trees, and she could see sandbanks on the side of the still dark brown water. Something on one of them moved!
' Are there crocodiles there?' she asked as Cary Jefferson stopped the car before the house.
He turned and looked at her, his eyes amused. Of course there are. Scared?'
Of course not,' she said indignantly.
Well, I am. Scared of people taking foolish risks.' He opened the door of the Land Rover. ' I've got to fetch some keys. Won't be a moment,' he said, and left her.
She looked round curiously. This was obviously his home, where he lived, apparently, with his mother. Now she could see it was a beautifully-designed house with large windows shaded against the hot glare of the sun by venetian blinds. Several Africans were working in the garden, and glanced at her without interest.
Cary Jefferson joined her and started the engine, driving round the tall weeping willow that grew in
the centre of the circular parking space.
Know what the croc does to his victim?' Cary said cheerfully as they left the garden and were back on the main road, trees and bushes growing closely on either side. He did not wait for her answer. They drag him under water to a shelf at the side of the river they've prepared, then leave the body there until it, rots before they eat it.'
Before she could control it, a shiver passed through Rayanne.
' Oh no ! ' she said.
Cary Jefferson chuckled. Oh yes. I'm surprised you didn't know that ! ' His voice changed suddenly. Just what interest have you in nature conservation?' he asked sternly.
Rayanne was startled. Well, I . . . I was
always interested in wild life, biology, conservation . . . and when Uncle Joe told me of the wonderful job you were doing out here, he suggested . .
It was his suggestion, not yours?' Cary Jefferson asked curtly.
Oh yes. You see
As she reached the Land Rover, Cary smiled,
' You were quick!'
' Well trained,' she said. ' Five brothers.' Help! ' he laughed as he started the engine. No sisters?'
None. Dad wanted six sons. I was a disappointment.' Without realising it, her voice was wistful. It had always hurt her, the knowledge that she had disappointed her parents. They made no secret of it. She had disappointed them in so many ways, for she had only just scraped through her exams while her brothers had got Honours. All five were lawyers. Only she was drifting, not knowing what she wanted to do. It had been Uncle Joe's suggestion that she write a thesis on wild life conservation that had seemed the answer.
Glancing quickly at the man by her side, she was no longer sure that it was. The Land Rover bumped over the earth road and went through the gate of the wire fence to the main road.
' I'll introduce you to the staff first,' Cary Jefferson said cheerfully, and Rayanne knew dismay. It was just as she had thought! He had made her change into these drab clothes and look a fright and then let her meet the staff members that Mrs Crisp disliked so much! What would they think of her? Had he done it on purpose? To cut her down to size? she wondered.
Again she quickly glanced at him. His profile was almost more handsome than his full face, with that square chin, the rather large nose and the arrogant lift to his head. He was whistling softly. She seemed to know the tune, but could not name it.
Was he resenting her? she wondered. Was she
wasting his precious time? Yet why had he to show her round? Surely Mike Crisp could have done it? Or was Uncle Joe's influence on Cary Jefferson so strong?
Later she was to realise that she had been so wrapped up in self-pity and resentment that she hardly noticed the beauty of the house they reached, a long L-shaped white house with the usual wide stoep. She could see the river below, much closer than at the rondavel where she had slept, or rather tried to sleep! There was a sloping lawn down to the water, shaded by tall red-flowered flamboyant trees, and she could see sandbanks on the side of the still dark brown water. Something on one of them moved!
' Are there crocodiles there?' she asked as Cary Jefferson stopped the car before the house.
He turned and looked at her, his eyes amused. Of course there are. Scared?'
Of course not,' she said indignantly.
Well, I am. Scared of people taking foolish risks.' He opened the door of the Land Rover. ' I've got to fetch some keys. Won't be a moment,' he said, and left her.
She looked round curiously. This was obviously his home, where he lived, apparently, with his mother. Now she could see it was a beautifully-designed house with large windows shaded against the hot glare of the sun by venetian blinds. Several Africans were working in the garden, and glanced at her without interest.
Cary Jefferson joined her and started the engine, driving round the tall weeping willow that grew in
the centre of the circular parking space.
Know what the croc does to his victim?' Cary said cheerfully as they left the garden and were back on the main road, trees and bushes growing closely on either side. He did not wait for her answer. They drag him under water to a shelf at the side of the river they've prepared, then leave the body there until it, rots before they eat it.'
Before she could control it, a shiver passed through Rayanne.
' Oh no ! ' she said.
Cary Jefferson chuckled. Oh yes. I'm surprised you didn't know that ! ' His voice changed suddenly. Just what interest have you in nature conservation?' he asked sternly.
Rayanne was startled. Well, I . . . I was
always interested in wild life, biology, conservation . . . and when Uncle Joe told me of the wonderful job you were doing out here, he suggested . .
It was his suggestion, not yours?' Cary Jefferson asked curtly.
Oh yes. You see
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