Shifting Sands (7 page)

‘Excellent!'

‘I was to blame too,' Vicky put in quickly. ‘It'll require an effort from both of us, but I'm sure our marriage will be the stronger for it.'

As the call ended, Sophie sat back with a sigh of relief. By the sound of it, she could stop worrying about Jonathan – which just left Imogen.

She did so wish her friend would pull herself together. Though she'd been happy to support her during their schooldays, she'd assumed her task was finished once Imogen married. Now, though, with her marriage under strain, Imogen had turned back to her, putting her in an invidious position.

It was not as though she were a weak character, either, Sophie thought in exasperation. It was only when her self-confidence was challenged that she buckled – under teasing at school, and now criticism from Roger. All Sophie could do was continue her efforts to bolster it and hope she'd meet with more success than had so far been the case.

FOUR

T
he next morning, Harry and Susan emerged from their chalet as Anna was setting off for breakfast, and they walked together to the Centre.

‘Thanks again for coming to my rescue,' Anna said. ‘It wasn't too pleasant, finding myself suddenly alone in the dark.'

‘No problem. Glad I found you!'

The renewed thanks put a satisfactory end to the episode, she thought with relief. She'd feared Harry might refer to it in front of Lewis, and she'd prefer him not to know she'd been wandering around after he'd returned to his chalet.

On arrival at the restaurant, they were directed to a table where several of their party were already seated, and it wasn't until they gathered by the jeeps for the game drive that Anna saw Lewis. He was standing slightly apart from the Salters, staring frowningly into space, but Wendy saw her approach and came forward to greet her. It was therefore natural, when they climbed into the jeep, for the two of them to sit together, for which Anna was grateful. Still feeling guilty about the overheard phone call, she was not yet ready to face Lewis.

They were fortunate on the drive; a group of elephants, slow and lumbering, crossed the path only a few yards in front of them, and a little farther on they came across a family of lions at a waterhole. Like the others, Anna had her camera on video, watching in enchantment as the male lifted his head to look across at them, water dripping from his muzzle. She had to keep reminding herself that these were not captive animals in zoo surroundings, but wild and free in their native habitat.

The day passed in a kaleidoscope of sounds, sights and smells that conjured up the very essence of Africa. Then, after an early dinner, they set off on the Night Drive, with Edda and the local guide holding spotlights on either side of the jeep. After a slow start, sighting only the ubiquitous impala and zebra, Edda pointed out a group of buffalo the other side of the river and, minutes later, hyenas feeding off a carcase. Then, close at hand, a giraffe materialized beside the road, and a herd of wildebeest crossed just in front of them in the full glare of the headlamps. Finally, a fitting end, a large rhino loomed up within a few feet of the jeep.

It was only ten o'clock when they were deposited back at the Centre, but it had been a long, tiring day, and another lay ahead of them. In twos and threes, they started to make their way back to their chalets.

Having replaced her torch battery, Anna was looking round for Harry and Susan when Lewis came up to her.

‘Walk you home, ma'am? I've not seen much of you today.'

‘It was pretty frenetic, wasn't it?' Anna said lightly, falling into step beside him.

‘Overkill, perhaps, considering we'll be going through much the same routine at Kruger.'

‘Oh, I don't know; I want to see as much of the animals as I can.'

He smiled in the dark, threading her free hand through his arm. ‘You're really enjoying it, aren't you?'

Involuntarily, her heart set up a panicky beat. For heaven's
sake
! she thought impatiently; he's no idea you overheard him! Though even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew that wasn't the reason for the dryness of her mouth and the sudden heat of her body.

She said, surprisingly calmly, ‘Of course I am! Aren't you?'

‘It's interesting, yes, but I'm not much of a one for holidays – too busy thinking of what I could be doing at home.'

‘Work, you mean?'

‘Did Wendy tell you I'm a workaholic? She's right, I suppose. I find difficulty delegating, convinced no one can do things as well as I do.' She felt him glance at her. ‘But yes, to answer your question, I
am
enjoying it, mainly thanks to you.'

She gave an uncertain little laugh. God, where was everyone? Surely someone must be coming in this direction? She daren't turn round, but all was quiet behind them.

‘It's difficult to admit, for a hard-bitten old cynic like me,' he was continuing, in that new, low voice, ‘but it was I who suggested Wendy ask you to join us, back in Cape Town. And I can tell you she and George have been pulling my leg ever since.'

‘I've . . . enjoyed being with you all,' Anna said.

He continued as though she hadn't spoken. ‘It was a blow to learn you'd been widowed. With no husband in tow, I was hoping you were divorced, like me. Wendy warned it might be too soon, but – well, by then the die was cast. I'm known for my quick decisions – in business it's a necessity – and the more time we've spent together, the more certain I've become. But now time's running out, so I have to know, Anna. Is there any chance at all for me? If not now, in the future sometime?'

God help her, how could she answer him? Of course she enjoyed being with him, but Miles had only—

He pulled her gently off the path and into the shadows of a rondavel.

‘At least not an immediate “no”,' he said softly. And then, without either of them seeming to move, he was holding her close and kissing her, and all logic and reason evaporated in a surge of longing as the blood coursed through her veins, and sensations she'd never expected to feel again flooded over her.

Only the sound of approaching voices pulled them apart, and they stood immobile as a group, chatting and laughing, passed by on the path, a mere ten feet from them. As their footsteps died away, Lewis said, not quite steadily, ‘It's like being sixteen again!'

Anna stepped quickly away, the enormity of what had happened sluicing over her. Oh, God, God, God!

‘Anna?' he said tentatively.

‘I don't . . .' she began, and stopped.

‘Look –' his voice was gentle – ‘I took you by surprise, I appreciate that. Damn it, I took
myself
by surprise. But surely that doesn't alter how we feel?'

She lifted her hands helplessly, searching for the right words – but what were they?

He sighed. ‘Let's leave it for the moment. You need time to think things over. If I've jumped the gun, I apologize. We can take it as slowly as you like, continue to meet back in the UK, perhaps, and see how things develop?'

He paused. ‘I suspect you're feeling disloyal to your husband, but ask yourself if he'd really want you to spend the rest of your life alone. We're both adults, Anna, free to do as we choose without hurting anyone. Remember that.'

When she still didn't speak, he took her arm and led her back to the path. ‘What number is your chalet?'

‘Seventeen.'

He took her hand, and they walked in silence along the path, lit by his torch. Much to Anna's relief, they saw no one. When they reached her hut, he waited while she fitted the key in the lock with shaking fingers, then bent and kissed her cheek.

‘Goodnight, my love,' he said.

Stumbling inside, Anna pushed the door shut and leant against it, eyes closed, straining to hear his retreating footsteps. As they died away, she walked slowly to the bed and, sinking down, put her hands to her face, fingers splayed. Her heart was still knocking painfully against her ribs. Anna Farrell, she thought mockingly, known for her self-control, her cool detachment, her sangfroid! Where were they now?

Until the previous year she'd been on firm ground emotionally, sure of herself and those around her. But, after expecting to grow old together, Miles had suddenly died, and that firm ground gave way to sand, no longer supporting her. Now, ten months later, the sands had shifted again.

One thing, at least, was certain: the screens she'd been carefully erecting throughout the holiday had been well and truly demolished, forcing her to confront feelings that, unacknowledged, had been welling up inside her.

But could this really be happening? Was it remotely possible that she, Anna, widowed less than a year, could, after loving one man all her life, have fallen for someone else – someone, she reminded herself, about whom she knew next to nothing – in the space of two and a half weeks? And the answer to that, she thought unwillingly, had to be ‘yes'. Hadn't she and Miles become engaged within a month of their meeting? Like Lewis, it seemed she also was prone to quick decisions.

But, as he'd guessed, it was Miles, dead for less than a year, who was foremost in her mind – the only man she'd ever slept with, and had never doubted would remain so.

She raised her head, taking a deep breath and trying to be dispassionate. Lewis had as good as said he loved her. How did she honestly feel about him? That he was attractive, there was no disputing, his occasional broodiness and flashes of temper adding to, rather than detracting from, that attraction. He was also an entertaining and interesting companion, and from the first she'd been flattered by his attention.

Thus far she could be rational. But there was no denying his embrace had lit fires in her reminiscent of the early days of her marriage, fires which, though remaining warm and comforting, had over the years lost their fierceness. Tonight, incredibly, she'd been consumed with all the excitement and impatience of her teens, and, as he'd reminded her, their time together was running out. The thought of not seeing him again suddenly appalled her.

We're both adults
, he had said,
free to do as we choose without hurting anyone
. And he was right, she thought with a sudden lifting of spirits. Though this was happening sooner than she could have hoped, it offered a chance of happiness that might not come again, and she'd be a fool to turn it down. At least she'd agree to their continuing to meet, and if, when they knew each other better, they still wanted to be together, so be it. But one thing was clear: whatever her feelings for Lewis, now or in the future, he would never replace Miles. She hoped that Miles himself, wherever he was – not to mention her family – would understand that.

Anna awoke with a sense of excitement that took several seconds to identify. Then the memory of the walk back from the Centre rushed into her consciousness, filling her with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. How would she and Lewis greet each other? What should she say to him? She realized with some embarrassment that, after her enthusiastic response, she'd been distinctly unforthcoming. Might he have regretted declaring himself? Think she wasn't interested? She would soon know.

She was grateful for Harry and Susan's company again on the way to breakfast, but again they were shown to a different table from Lewis and the Salters. In fact, in her first, quick glance round the restaurant, she hadn't spotted them.

They were moving on after breakfast, and having ensured that her case had been loaded into the hold, Anna climbed aboard the coach to see Wendy and George seated together, and Lewis in the row behind them. He immediately rose, eyes raking her face as he made way for her to sit by the window.

She smiled at him, including him in her general: ‘Good morning!' and the tension in his jaw eased a little.

‘All right?' he asked in a low voice as she settled herself.

‘All right,' she confirmed. She would, she decided, wait for him to raise the subject that was foremost in their minds.

As they left the reserve, Edda took up the microphone, summarizing the day's itinerary. They were making for White River, or Wit Rivier, where they would spend two nights, and en route they would be skirting Swaziland, a country outside the South African Republic, ruled by King Mswati III. Anna noted it down, hoping she'd spelled His Majesty's name correctly.

As the day progressed, the panorama unfolded on all sides – acres of citrus fruits, multicoloured bougainvilleas, girls washing their laundry in the river. They stopped for lunch, and again to visit a market, reaching their hotel just after five-thirty. And still nothing of significance had passed between Anna and Lewis. She began to wonder if he intended to ignore what had happened, and felt a stab of panic. Logic, however, suggested he was waiting till their conversation could not be overheard by George and Wendy in the seats in front of them.

They were allocated their rooms, their cases were delivered, and Anna unpacked and had a leisurely bath. When, at the agreed time, she reached the bar, she was surprised to see that although Lewis was there, the Salters were not.

Having bought her drink, he led her to a table by the window. ‘How long are you going to keep me in suspense?' he asked in a low voice.

She smiled, relief flooding over her. ‘I was waiting for you to bring it up.'

‘Well?'

‘I'd . . . like us to go on seeing each other,' she said.

He reached under the table for her hand. ‘Thank God!' he said.

There was no time for more, as they were joined by Wendy and George, and shortly after they all went in to dinner. Furthermore, since there would be a very early start in the morning, everyone went to their rooms directly it was over, ending the possibility of further discussion. Still, Lewis had his answer, and for the moment that was enough.