Read Online Claire's Prayer by Yvonne Cloete - Free Book Online

thought, accommodate at least a dozen people comfortably. A woven grass mat covered the far wall, intricately designed in red and ochre, the background a smooth beige. One wall consisted of two long, sliding glass doors and, instead of pelmets for the sandy-coloured curtains, thick wooden rods spanned the length of the glass doors, the curtains being attached by wooden rings. Hostess trolleys and a long side cabinet took up the other side of the room.
    Claire ate with relish; the three-course meal that Joseph had ‘cobbled together’, as he had said apologetically, could have put any restaurant to shame. The liver pâté starter was followed by a succulent roast accompanied by fresh green vegetables and crispy roast potatoes, all cooked to perfection. Claire chewed her first mouthful of meat with slow deliberation, trying to identify the taste.
    Watching her, Seth questioned, “How do you like venison, Claire? This is Joseph’s speciality: he initiates all of our foreign guests with his stuffed impala joint.”
    Claire was surprised to find herself eating the very game that Seth was preserving on the ranch. Swallowing, she aked, “Is it impala from Impunzi? I thought you only did game viewing?”
    “We do,” Seth responded, with a smile. “It’s not from here – but you’ll soon see that venison’s almost more common around the bush than beef! Most of our neighbours are farmers.”
    “Plus it’s delicious!” added Naomi enthusiastically, her fork raised to her mouth.
    Reassured, Claire savoured the individual flavour of the meat and answered Seth’s original question. “Well… it’s really tasty! Different, but good.” So saying, she proceeded to clear her plate. Seth caught her eye as her final forkful disappeared, and smiled teasingly.
    “So, Naomi, what were you up to while I was gone?” Seth asked.
    Smiling, Naomi put a forkful of salad into her mouth and chewed before answering. “Well… I got Claire’s lodge ready and went around the ranch with Tony – we made a list of all the repairs and touch-ups that need to be done on the lodges.”
    “Mmmm?” Seth responded, and swallowed. “That’s good. We need to make sure everything’s sorted out before the next season.”
    “How many guests do you usually have in a season?” Claire addressed them both.
    “Depends,” Seth answered. “We’re stepping up our advertising, so when we’re open to the public again we should have a constant flow of tourists.”
    Naomi grimaced. “It gets really hectic around here. Some guests are easy-going but others can be very demanding. I do enjoy them all, though – helps to know the difficult ones are only here for a short while!”
    Lingering over the strong coffee brought to the table after their plates had been cleared, Claire marvelled at the changes the last forty-eight hours had wrought in her life. Just two short days ago she’d been still in Dublin, and now she could barely recall the biting wind or grey skies of home. Suddenly, she wished her parents were with her. For a moment she hadn’t been thinking about them – and now, unstoppably, she remembered everything. Claire felt suddenly guilty for enjoying herself. A rush of moistness filled her eyes, and she hastily rose from the table.
    “Thank you, Seth and Naomi – that was delicious. I’m… I’m just exhausted. Naomi, please would you show me to my room? I’d like an early night. It’s been quite a day and… well, thanks for everything.”
    Avoiding Seth’s searching gaze, and not waiting for him to speak, Claire left the dining room. Seth and Naomi shared a glance.
    Naomi, sensing Claire’s distress, quickly followed her. The bedrooms were upstairs, and each had a bathroom ensuite, Naomi told her calmly, hoping to distract her suddenly pale guest. She lay a hand on Claire’s arm as they reached the landing and Claire’s door.
    Thanking Naomi softly again, Claire stepped inside and closed out the world, friendly though it was. A