mounted them.
Sara got swiftly out of bed and went to the door, standing there waiting. The clink of bottle and glass drew her forward and into the living-mom doorway, where she paused a little uncertainly. Steve had obviously sloughed his coat and boots outside on the porch, but his trousers were soaked to the knee. In the light from the single lamp he looked tired and drawn, and he needed a shave. He half turned as he took the glass from his lips, saw her standing there in the doorway and leaned his weight against the cabinet at his back to survey her with faintly lifted brows.
`You should have something on your feet,' he said.
- Sara glanced down at her cotton pyjamas and bare
toes and felt the warmth touch her cheeks. It hadn't occurred to her to put anything else on. She had simply given way to impulse. 'How did it go?' she asked.
`Better than I hoped. We got two of them. The other got away, but I doubt that he'll present much of a problem on his own. Had to lose a rhino to do it, though.'
`Congratulations,' Sara said insincerely. 'Where are they now?'
`Being held at the Lodge until morning, when arrangements can be made to get them both down to Nairobi to stand charges.'
`So it's all over.'
`This time. They weren't the first, they-certainly won't be the last.' He took another pull at the whisky, added grimly, 'It's the men behind them that I'd really like to get a line on. When this lot fail to turn up with the goods they'll simply recruit some other labour force.
`Mightn't the two you've captured give them away?'
`It's doubtful that they know anything beyond the fact that if they turn up at an agreed place with an agreed bag they'll get paid so much pesa. The only real hope is the dart guns they were supplied with, although I'd say that tracing them is going to prove difficult.' He lifted broad shoulders. 'That's up to the authorities. Isn't it time you were getting back to bed?'
`I'll go when you go', she said without thinking, and saw the quick grin lift the corners of his mouth.
`A couple more years and that kind of statement could get you into trouble. If you feel like keeping me company come on in and take a pew. I wanted to talk to you anyway, and it might as well be now as in th e morning.'
Sara sank into the nearest chair and eyed him somewhat warily. 'Talk to me about what?'
`If you can keep your hackles down for five minutes I'll tell you.' He studied her. 'I've been thinking about that suggestion I made for you to go and stay with Jill in Nairobi.'
`I'm not . . .' She caught herself up, amended her reply. 'I don't want to go to Nairobi.'
`I know you don't.' He was smiling a little. 'Are you going to let me finish?' He took her silence for agreement, and went on smoothly, The point is that I was planning to spend a few weeks with Jill for the first time in a couple of years when this job turned up, and there won't be another chance for some time to come. How do you feel about having her up here for a spell? She's never been to the highlands before, so it would be quite an experience for her to take back home to Mombasa at the end of the season.'
Sara's reactions were mixed. She was curious about Steve York's young sister, she had to admit, but she wasn't at all sure that she would welcome the company of a girl of her own age who'd spent the last three years in such a totally different background. If Jill was anything like her brother they'd probably be daggers drawn inside the first hour.
`Why are you asking me?' she murmured. 'You've a perfect right to bring anyone you like out here while you're the boss.'
He raised his eyes heavenward. 'You know, you'd try the patience of a saint ! I'm asking you because I don't want trouble later on. Jill can stand up for herself
all right, but she'd prefer not to have to. What I want to know is would you be prepared to welcome her without bringing out the beads and rattles?'
`Can't I even mutter a few incantations?'
`I've muttered more than a few
Sara got swiftly out of bed and went to the door, standing there waiting. The clink of bottle and glass drew her forward and into the living-mom doorway, where she paused a little uncertainly. Steve had obviously sloughed his coat and boots outside on the porch, but his trousers were soaked to the knee. In the light from the single lamp he looked tired and drawn, and he needed a shave. He half turned as he took the glass from his lips, saw her standing there in the doorway and leaned his weight against the cabinet at his back to survey her with faintly lifted brows.
`You should have something on your feet,' he said.
- Sara glanced down at her cotton pyjamas and bare
toes and felt the warmth touch her cheeks. It hadn't occurred to her to put anything else on. She had simply given way to impulse. 'How did it go?' she asked.
`Better than I hoped. We got two of them. The other got away, but I doubt that he'll present much of a problem on his own. Had to lose a rhino to do it, though.'
`Congratulations,' Sara said insincerely. 'Where are they now?'
`Being held at the Lodge until morning, when arrangements can be made to get them both down to Nairobi to stand charges.'
`So it's all over.'
`This time. They weren't the first, they-certainly won't be the last.' He took another pull at the whisky, added grimly, 'It's the men behind them that I'd really like to get a line on. When this lot fail to turn up with the goods they'll simply recruit some other labour force.
`Mightn't the two you've captured give them away?'
`It's doubtful that they know anything beyond the fact that if they turn up at an agreed place with an agreed bag they'll get paid so much pesa. The only real hope is the dart guns they were supplied with, although I'd say that tracing them is going to prove difficult.' He lifted broad shoulders. 'That's up to the authorities. Isn't it time you were getting back to bed?'
`I'll go when you go', she said without thinking, and saw the quick grin lift the corners of his mouth.
`A couple more years and that kind of statement could get you into trouble. If you feel like keeping me company come on in and take a pew. I wanted to talk to you anyway, and it might as well be now as in th e morning.'
Sara sank into the nearest chair and eyed him somewhat warily. 'Talk to me about what?'
`If you can keep your hackles down for five minutes I'll tell you.' He studied her. 'I've been thinking about that suggestion I made for you to go and stay with Jill in Nairobi.'
`I'm not . . .' She caught herself up, amended her reply. 'I don't want to go to Nairobi.'
`I know you don't.' He was smiling a little. 'Are you going to let me finish?' He took her silence for agreement, and went on smoothly, The point is that I was planning to spend a few weeks with Jill for the first time in a couple of years when this job turned up, and there won't be another chance for some time to come. How do you feel about having her up here for a spell? She's never been to the highlands before, so it would be quite an experience for her to take back home to Mombasa at the end of the season.'
Sara's reactions were mixed. She was curious about Steve York's young sister, she had to admit, but she wasn't at all sure that she would welcome the company of a girl of her own age who'd spent the last three years in such a totally different background. If Jill was anything like her brother they'd probably be daggers drawn inside the first hour.
`Why are you asking me?' she murmured. 'You've a perfect right to bring anyone you like out here while you're the boss.'
He raised his eyes heavenward. 'You know, you'd try the patience of a saint ! I'm asking you because I don't want trouble later on. Jill can stand up for herself
all right, but she'd prefer not to have to. What I want to know is would you be prepared to welcome her without bringing out the beads and rattles?'
`Can't I even mutter a few incantations?'
`I've muttered more than a few
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