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Authors: Kay Thorpe
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manner in which these had been adapted in modern-day architecture, and tried her best to look and sound suitably impressed. What made it worse was that she could hear Steve's voice in the background casually answering questions put to him in friendly curiosity by the Willards regarding his background, and she wanted, badly, to listen in to that conversation with all her attention. She had a strong feeling that it wasn't very usual for Steve to be quite so forthcoming, but he apparently liked the Willards enough to bend a few personal rules. Remembering the brief, almost abrupt manner in which he had answered her own query along those lines the other night, Sara felt more than a little hurt.
When, after about half an hour, Steve finally announced that he would have to be going, she made a swift decision without waiting to be asked.
`I think I will come with you and save Temu the journey later on.'
`Then you'd better get some clothes on,' was the reply. 'And make it snappy. I've got some reports to make out before tonight's radio call.'
Smarting, she went to get her things from the little locker room she always used, sliding into jeans and shirt over the bikini and running the usual hand
through her hair. When she got outside again the Willards had moved down to this end of the terrace with Steve, and were watching a herd of zebra moving down to the waterhole two hundred yards away and some twenty feet below. Chipper had disappeared during the previous conversational interlude, but he reappeared again as if by magic to remind them about the proposed visit the following day.
`We won't forget, old son,' promised Steve. 'It's all laid on.'
Sara waited until they were in the car and bouncing down the track away from the Lodge before saying tentatively, 'Thanks.'
He glanced at her and away again. 'For what?'
`You know what. For not getting on your high horse over my asking them over tomorrow.'
`Is that what you were expecting?'
`Well . . .' she made a small movement of her shoulders . . you do like doing it where I'm concerned, don't you?'
He considered that for a moment before answering. `Only when it's called for, and I don't happen to think that it was this afternoon — unless you only invited them in the hope of getting at me.'
`Of course I didn't,' she came back with alacrity. 'If I wanted to get at you I wouldn't rope anybody in to help me do it !'
He grinned. 'That I can believe. Miss Independence herself !'
Sara took a hold on her temper. He was deliberately trying to rile her, but she wasn't going to rise to it. Not this time. 'What would you prefer?' she asked sweetly.
Vide-eyed worship?'
`Heaven preserve me !' He gave her an amused look. `You're like a Kelly. You can be put down, but you don't stay there long. Not building up to another kick over the traces, I hope.'
`I wouldn't dream of it. We have to preserve your image'
`Thoughtful of you. You certainly do a good enough job on your own.'
She was startled enough to reveal it. 'What does that mean exactly?'
`Exactly what it says. You got a jolt the other afternoon and you didn't like it, so once you'd got over the initial setback you immediately set out to convince me that my opinions don't matter one way or another to you.'
`That's not true !'
`Oh? Then they do matter?'
`No! At least . . .' She stopped, said crossly, `Do you always have to be so blasted sure about everything!'
`Only when I am.' He swung the wheel. 'And don't swear. It's not ladylike.'
`According to you I'm not ladylike anyway.'
`That's not to say you can't be with a little effort. Why don't you give me a real shock tonight and come in to dinner in a dress?'
`No, thanks,' she responded after a moment. 'You'd probably have some crack ready for that too.'
`Your trouble is a suspicious mind, my girl. You want to try showing a little trust in a man's better side'
`I might if I thought he had one.' She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and put a hand on his sleeve.
When, after about half an hour, Steve finally announced that he would have to be going, she made a swift decision without waiting to be asked.
`I think I will come with you and save Temu the journey later on.'
`Then you'd better get some clothes on,' was the reply. 'And make it snappy. I've got some reports to make out before tonight's radio call.'
Smarting, she went to get her things from the little locker room she always used, sliding into jeans and shirt over the bikini and running the usual hand
through her hair. When she got outside again the Willards had moved down to this end of the terrace with Steve, and were watching a herd of zebra moving down to the waterhole two hundred yards away and some twenty feet below. Chipper had disappeared during the previous conversational interlude, but he reappeared again as if by magic to remind them about the proposed visit the following day.
`We won't forget, old son,' promised Steve. 'It's all laid on.'
Sara waited until they were in the car and bouncing down the track away from the Lodge before saying tentatively, 'Thanks.'
He glanced at her and away again. 'For what?'
`You know what. For not getting on your high horse over my asking them over tomorrow.'
`Is that what you were expecting?'
`Well . . .' she made a small movement of her shoulders . . you do like doing it where I'm concerned, don't you?'
He considered that for a moment before answering. `Only when it's called for, and I don't happen to think that it was this afternoon — unless you only invited them in the hope of getting at me.'
`Of course I didn't,' she came back with alacrity. 'If I wanted to get at you I wouldn't rope anybody in to help me do it !'
He grinned. 'That I can believe. Miss Independence herself !'
Sara took a hold on her temper. He was deliberately trying to rile her, but she wasn't going to rise to it. Not this time. 'What would you prefer?' she asked sweetly.
Vide-eyed worship?'
`Heaven preserve me !' He gave her an amused look. `You're like a Kelly. You can be put down, but you don't stay there long. Not building up to another kick over the traces, I hope.'
`I wouldn't dream of it. We have to preserve your image'
`Thoughtful of you. You certainly do a good enough job on your own.'
She was startled enough to reveal it. 'What does that mean exactly?'
`Exactly what it says. You got a jolt the other afternoon and you didn't like it, so once you'd got over the initial setback you immediately set out to convince me that my opinions don't matter one way or another to you.'
`That's not true !'
`Oh? Then they do matter?'
`No! At least . . .' She stopped, said crossly, `Do you always have to be so blasted sure about everything!'
`Only when I am.' He swung the wheel. 'And don't swear. It's not ladylike.'
`According to you I'm not ladylike anyway.'
`That's not to say you can't be with a little effort. Why don't you give me a real shock tonight and come in to dinner in a dress?'
`No, thanks,' she responded after a moment. 'You'd probably have some crack ready for that too.'
`Your trouble is a suspicious mind, my girl. You want to try showing a little trust in a man's better side'
`I might if I thought he had one.' She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and put a hand on his sleeve.
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