Read Online The man at Kambala by Kay Thorpe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kay Thorpe
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'Elephant.'
`I've seen them.' Steve was already slowing. He brought the car to a halt as the first great beast moved slowly out of cover, ears fanning in and out, trunk raised to quest the wind. Behind came a group of cows and young close up together, followed by a pair of young bulls who kept pushing one another like arguing schoolboys as they followed the rest across the road. One of the babies gave a squeal as its mother hurried it along with a well-aimed swing of her trunk, trotting on with its over-sized ears flattened to its skull to dissolve into the treed on the other side along with its fellows. As the last grey bulk melted silently away, Sara let out an entranced breath and turned bright eyes on her companion.
`Aren't they the most...'
`Quiet.' He said it softly. 'The rear-guard is just a mite close.'
There was further movement in the bush on their left, fifty feet nearer this time, and another three bulls broke cover abreast of each other to plod slowly and ponderously across the track in the wake of their companions. Last of all came one of the biggest cows Sara had ever seen, her massive head waving from side to side as she came to a full stop right on the track itself and looked directly at the car some forty feet away. It was obvious that she had got wind of them, obvious too that she didn't like the smell of them, for her trunk went up suddenly and she trumpeted, her spreading ears signalling the impending charge.
Steve restarted the engine with a quick flick of his wrist, slammed into reverse and pushed back down the track at a steady speed, never taking his eyes off the challenging animal up ahead. The cow made a short run of a few paces, paused and trumpeted again, then shook her head as though dismissing them as hardly worth the trouble and angled off into the forest with contempt in the sway of her huge hindquarters.
`Nice to know you don't try to lord it over everything female,' remarked Sara innocently as Steve .put the car into forward gear again, and he grinned.
`When they come as big as that I always give best. What were you going to say a moment ago?'
`I've forgotten,' she returned untruthfully. 'That was quite exciting.'
`Stop being so blasé . It was too damn close, and you know it. That cow could have caught us up without trying at that distance.'
`She probably didn't fancy you.' With some relish she tagged on, 'If you don't like to hear me swear you could try setting me a good example by way of a start. We kids learn by imitation.'
`So do monkeys. Incidentally,' he added before she could think of a reply to that one, 'you had young Willard really giving forth back there. How much do you know about architecture?'
`A great deal more than I did,' she admitted ruefully. 'I didn't expect a lecture on the subject.'
`That'll teach you not to cock a snook at me in future ! I thought he seemed a nice boy.'
`Oh, he is!' She gave him a bright glance. 'Do you think he'd make me a good husband?'
Steve laughed. wouldn't know whether he wasstanding on his head or his heels after a week with you. The man you eventually marry will have to be permanently on his toes !'
`Sounds terribly uncomfortable. Seeing you know so much about it perhaps you'd pick me out a few suitable candidates when you get back to Nairobi and send them up on approval. A girl can't be too careful.' She scratched absently at a fly bite on the back of her neck, caught his amused look and desisted abruptly. 'Is Jill allowed any boyfriends?'
His brow lifted. 'Why don't you ask her when she gets here?'
`I will.' She thought about it for a moment or two, then sighed. 'Sorry. I didn't mean to be sarcastic at her expense. Does your sister have a lot of friends?'
`I'd say so. She lives with some old friends of the family in Mombasa, and as they had two young daughters of their own, plus a son, she moves in quite a large circle. Ever been down to Mombasa yourself?'
Sara nodded. 'It was quite a long time ago, though, before Dad got
`I've seen them.' Steve was already slowing. He brought the car to a halt as the first great beast moved slowly out of cover, ears fanning in and out, trunk raised to quest the wind. Behind came a group of cows and young close up together, followed by a pair of young bulls who kept pushing one another like arguing schoolboys as they followed the rest across the road. One of the babies gave a squeal as its mother hurried it along with a well-aimed swing of her trunk, trotting on with its over-sized ears flattened to its skull to dissolve into the treed on the other side along with its fellows. As the last grey bulk melted silently away, Sara let out an entranced breath and turned bright eyes on her companion.
`Aren't they the most...'
`Quiet.' He said it softly. 'The rear-guard is just a mite close.'
There was further movement in the bush on their left, fifty feet nearer this time, and another three bulls broke cover abreast of each other to plod slowly and ponderously across the track in the wake of their companions. Last of all came one of the biggest cows Sara had ever seen, her massive head waving from side to side as she came to a full stop right on the track itself and looked directly at the car some forty feet away. It was obvious that she had got wind of them, obvious too that she didn't like the smell of them, for her trunk went up suddenly and she trumpeted, her spreading ears signalling the impending charge.
Steve restarted the engine with a quick flick of his wrist, slammed into reverse and pushed back down the track at a steady speed, never taking his eyes off the challenging animal up ahead. The cow made a short run of a few paces, paused and trumpeted again, then shook her head as though dismissing them as hardly worth the trouble and angled off into the forest with contempt in the sway of her huge hindquarters.
`Nice to know you don't try to lord it over everything female,' remarked Sara innocently as Steve .put the car into forward gear again, and he grinned.
`When they come as big as that I always give best. What were you going to say a moment ago?'
`I've forgotten,' she returned untruthfully. 'That was quite exciting.'
`Stop being so blasé . It was too damn close, and you know it. That cow could have caught us up without trying at that distance.'
`She probably didn't fancy you.' With some relish she tagged on, 'If you don't like to hear me swear you could try setting me a good example by way of a start. We kids learn by imitation.'
`So do monkeys. Incidentally,' he added before she could think of a reply to that one, 'you had young Willard really giving forth back there. How much do you know about architecture?'
`A great deal more than I did,' she admitted ruefully. 'I didn't expect a lecture on the subject.'
`That'll teach you not to cock a snook at me in future ! I thought he seemed a nice boy.'
`Oh, he is!' She gave him a bright glance. 'Do you think he'd make me a good husband?'
Steve laughed. wouldn't know whether he wasstanding on his head or his heels after a week with you. The man you eventually marry will have to be permanently on his toes !'
`Sounds terribly uncomfortable. Seeing you know so much about it perhaps you'd pick me out a few suitable candidates when you get back to Nairobi and send them up on approval. A girl can't be too careful.' She scratched absently at a fly bite on the back of her neck, caught his amused look and desisted abruptly. 'Is Jill allowed any boyfriends?'
His brow lifted. 'Why don't you ask her when she gets here?'
`I will.' She thought about it for a moment or two, then sighed. 'Sorry. I didn't mean to be sarcastic at her expense. Does your sister have a lot of friends?'
`I'd say so. She lives with some old friends of the family in Mombasa, and as they had two young daughters of their own, plus a son, she moves in quite a large circle. Ever been down to Mombasa yourself?'
Sara nodded. 'It was quite a long time ago, though, before Dad got
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