my bed now,’ Katherine said, giving a wide yawn. ‘Coming, Cecily?’
Even though she too felt exhausted, the incredible starry skies and the fact she was actually sitting in the middle of the African Bush made Cecily want to hold on to the moment a while longer.
‘I’ll join you in a minute.’
‘Okay. Night, everyone,’ she said as she stood up and Bobby did too.
‘Aye, it’s been a long day,’ Bobby agreed. ‘We’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.’
Bobby and Katherine retreated to their separate tents, while Nygasi and the other two Maasai left the fire and walked out into the darkness. Cecily could see them stationed around the perimeter of the camp, then suddenly realised she was all alone with Bill.
‘How did you find today?’ he asked her as he stirred the fire with a stick.
‘I . . . well, it’s been just incredible. I feel privileged, even if it was scary sometimes. My adrenaline level was sky-high all day.’
‘Are you an adventurer, Cecily?’ Bill stared at her with that deep gaze of his. ‘Or do you prefer to play it safe?’
‘You know, I’m not sure. I mean, coming to Africa has changed me already. Maybe I’m still finding out who I am.’
‘Perhaps none of us ever truly find out who we are.’
‘You’re definitely an adventurer, surely?’
‘Maybe I wouldn’t have been if life hadn’t made me one. I was training for the law in England, and then, well, war – and love – came and my life was altered irrevocably. So, Miss Huntley-Morgan, what are you really doing here in Africa?’
‘Visiting my godmother,’ Cecily shrugged, unable to meet his gaze.
‘It’s patently obvious to me that you’re running away from something. You have the look.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘Because I had the same look when I arrived here originally too. The question is, will you run back?’
‘I have absolutely no idea. Now, I must get some sleep.’ Cecily stood up. ‘Thank you for including me in this, Bill. I swear, I will never forget it. Goodnight.’ She nodded at him and crossed the few yards to the tent she shared with Katherine and crawled inside. Katherine was already snoring gently on her pallet, so Cecily removed her boots then wriggled her toes in relief and lay down fully clothed, drawing the rough blanket across her body to ward off the chill of the night. She lay thinking that, despite his brusqueness and his propensity for embarrassing her, there was something about Bill Forsythe that fascinated her. Unable to stay awake a moment longer, she made doubly sure the blanket was tucked firmly round her feet in case anything slithered in during the night, then closed her eyes and slept.
Cecily woke at dawn, her mouth dry from thirst. She took a sip of water from the canister beside her, then put on her boots, trying not to wake Katherine who was still sound asleep.
She crawled out of the tent, then stretched and looked upwards. The sky was a mass of soft hues of blues, pinks and purples and she felt rather as if she was standing in an impressionist painting. Turning away from the spectacle, she went quietly to find a private place to relieve herself.
Having done so in grass that was almost waist-high, she walked back through it slowly, taking in the fresh smells of nature. Then she heard a soft growl, like a running engine. But there weren’t any other cars around for miles . . .
Cecily stopped in her tracks as she saw a fully grown lion crouching stationary in the grass only a few yards in front of her, its golden eyes fixed upon her. It stood up and began to prowl towards her.
She stood rooted to the spot, her heart thumping in her chest. The lion charged.
‘CECILY! GET DOWN!’
On instinct, she ducked, and a shot rang out into the dawn. The lion stumbled, but continued undeterred. Another shot was fired, then another, and the lion went still, then collapsed onto its side.
‘Good Lord, that was a close call! Cecily! Are you all right?’
She tried to reply, but her mouth didn’t seem to be working properly, her legs refused to move and the world span . . .
‘Cecily, can you hear me?!’
‘Ouch!’ Cecily felt a sharp slap across her cheek and opened her eyes to see Bill staring down at her.
‘Sorry, it’s the fastest way to bring somebody round after a faint. Here, let’s prop you up and give you a dash of brandy.’
Cecily felt strong arms