into camp I was exhausted from the effort. It was nearly dark and a firefly danced in front of us, a scarlet trail of light in the oncoming darkness.
“How long have you known Kate Freeman?” Hugo asked me suddenly.
I was surprised by the question. “Ever since she came to Kenya,” I answered. “I knew Luke before that—though my parents know him better! I suppose I know Martin best in the family. He’s—he’s more my age.
“That’s what I understood,” he said grimly.
“Don’t you like Martin?” I hazarded timidly.
“Yes, of course,” he snapped back gruffly. I was astonished. He didn’t sound as if he liked him much! “I suppose you see a lot of him?”
“Sometimes. When he’s home.”
He took a deep breath. “That’s what Kate says,” he confirmed. “It all sounds very suitable,” he added nastily.
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The idea that Martin and I should be anything to each other beyond being friends was very funny. I had known Martin for ever!
“Madly suitable!” I agreed smugly.
Hugo looked downright cross. “What’s so funny about that?” he demanded.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “What exactly did Kate say?”
“She said you were very good friends,” he grunted.
I took my courage in my two hands. “And do you mind about that?” I asked him humbly.
For a moment he looked outraged. “Certainly not!”
I turned away, a little hurt. I didn’t know why he should be so interested, but I had to admit myself flattered.
“We are good friends,” I heard myself saying. “But only friends. Kate knows that. I can’t think why she should have given you any other impression—”
“No,” Hugo agreed dryly. “Neither can I!”
We gained the camp just as the last of the light was fading. A damp mist was rising over the river and some thick black clouds were gathering across the sky, veiling the stars.
Janice was strolling through the middle of the camp as we came into the lit-up area. Her relief at seeing us was obvious.
“I thought you might have got lost!” she said to me immediately.
I shook my head. “I don’t get lost very easily,” I murmured. She smiled sweetly. “Don’t you? How can you be so sure?” She came closer, putting a friendly hand on Hugo’s shoulder and smiling up at him. “Have you been entertaining her? How sweet of you! You’re so kind to us all, Hugo dear, and we’re being such a nuisance to you!”
“It’s quite nice to have company,” Hugo replied stolidly.
Janice laughed. “Perhaps. But this time you’ve managed to upset Mr. Doffnang! You forget that Clare is his tongue and his ears! He’s been absolutely miserable without her!” She shrugged her shoulders with elegant care. “I did my best, of course, but I’m afraid he thought it was a pretty poor thing!” Much of my pleasure went out of the evening. I hated the thought that I might have been neglecting my work in any way.
“You haven’t been annoying him, have you?” I shot out at her.
She raised her eyebrows. “Not deliberately,” she assured me. To my surprise, Hugo looked no more than amused. “I’ll leave you both to sort it out between you,” he said.
I watched his retreating back, unaccountably feeling that he had, in some way, left me in the lurch. “Johnny speaks a little German,” I said flatly. “Why couldn’t you have asked him?” Janice looked very meek and demure. “Oh, but I did! Only he thought the translation might sully my delicate ears! What in
the world have I done to offend the famous Dutchman, do you suppose?”
I thought she probably knew only too well. “He thinks it’s wrong to mix business with pleasure!” I said dryly.
Janice gave me a penetrating look. “Cheek!” she muttered, well pleased. “You can tell him from me that while Hugo is around I have better things to do!” She laughed, sounding faintly conceited. “He doesn’t have to worry about me ! You tell him that, Clare. In fact, you’d better
“How long have you known Kate Freeman?” Hugo asked me suddenly.
I was surprised by the question. “Ever since she came to Kenya,” I answered. “I knew Luke before that—though my parents know him better! I suppose I know Martin best in the family. He’s—he’s more my age.
“That’s what I understood,” he said grimly.
“Don’t you like Martin?” I hazarded timidly.
“Yes, of course,” he snapped back gruffly. I was astonished. He didn’t sound as if he liked him much! “I suppose you see a lot of him?”
“Sometimes. When he’s home.”
He took a deep breath. “That’s what Kate says,” he confirmed. “It all sounds very suitable,” he added nastily.
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The idea that Martin and I should be anything to each other beyond being friends was very funny. I had known Martin for ever!
“Madly suitable!” I agreed smugly.
Hugo looked downright cross. “What’s so funny about that?” he demanded.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “What exactly did Kate say?”
“She said you were very good friends,” he grunted.
I took my courage in my two hands. “And do you mind about that?” I asked him humbly.
For a moment he looked outraged. “Certainly not!”
I turned away, a little hurt. I didn’t know why he should be so interested, but I had to admit myself flattered.
“We are good friends,” I heard myself saying. “But only friends. Kate knows that. I can’t think why she should have given you any other impression—”
“No,” Hugo agreed dryly. “Neither can I!”
We gained the camp just as the last of the light was fading. A damp mist was rising over the river and some thick black clouds were gathering across the sky, veiling the stars.
Janice was strolling through the middle of the camp as we came into the lit-up area. Her relief at seeing us was obvious.
“I thought you might have got lost!” she said to me immediately.
I shook my head. “I don’t get lost very easily,” I murmured. She smiled sweetly. “Don’t you? How can you be so sure?” She came closer, putting a friendly hand on Hugo’s shoulder and smiling up at him. “Have you been entertaining her? How sweet of you! You’re so kind to us all, Hugo dear, and we’re being such a nuisance to you!”
“It’s quite nice to have company,” Hugo replied stolidly.
Janice laughed. “Perhaps. But this time you’ve managed to upset Mr. Doffnang! You forget that Clare is his tongue and his ears! He’s been absolutely miserable without her!” She shrugged her shoulders with elegant care. “I did my best, of course, but I’m afraid he thought it was a pretty poor thing!” Much of my pleasure went out of the evening. I hated the thought that I might have been neglecting my work in any way.
“You haven’t been annoying him, have you?” I shot out at her.
She raised her eyebrows. “Not deliberately,” she assured me. To my surprise, Hugo looked no more than amused. “I’ll leave you both to sort it out between you,” he said.
I watched his retreating back, unaccountably feeling that he had, in some way, left me in the lurch. “Johnny speaks a little German,” I said flatly. “Why couldn’t you have asked him?” Janice looked very meek and demure. “Oh, but I did! Only he thought the translation might sully my delicate ears! What in
the world have I done to offend the famous Dutchman, do you suppose?”
I thought she probably knew only too well. “He thinks it’s wrong to mix business with pleasure!” I said dryly.
Janice gave me a penetrating look. “Cheek!” she muttered, well pleased. “You can tell him from me that while Hugo is around I have better things to do!” She laughed, sounding faintly conceited. “He doesn’t have to worry about me ! You tell him that, Clare. In fact, you’d better
Similar Books
