The Sun Sister (The Seven Sisters #6) - Lucinda Riley Page 0,153

for a moment? The kitchen needs to know how long a pause you’d like between courses.’

‘Sorry, Cecily, back in a tick. Just behave yourself while I’m gone,’ Katherine called, as she followed Alice through the crowd.

Cecily sipped her water and, feeling the heat of the sun beating down on the top of her silk hat, stepped into the shade of a large bush covered in glorious pink flowers.

‘Wonderful, aren’t they?’ came a voice from the depths of the bushes. ‘They’re hibiscus, you know. I often think if I had time to plant a garden, I’d have them growing everywhere.’

Bill appeared by her side, looking very unlike himself in formal dress.

‘Sorry to creep up on you – I was just quietly relieving myself, if I’m honest.’

‘Oh, I see,’ said Cecily, feeling a blush spread up her cheeks and wondering if he actively enjoyed shocking her.

‘If I may say so, you scrub up rather well.’ Bill indicated her gown.

‘So do you,’ she retorted.

‘Got over the shock of missing being a lion’s breakfast by a hair’s breadth?’

‘I have, yes. And thank you again for saving me.’

‘My pleasure, madam.’

There was a pause in conversation as both of them stared at the crowd.

‘They rather remind me of the flamingos on Lake Nakuru, gathering together to gossip then migrating off again, back to their eyries in the hills, sated with booze and food,’ said Bill. ‘Not my scene as you might have guessed, but I am rather fond of Katherine and Bobby, so I felt I should break the habit of a lifetime, stifle my contempt and come along. At least for an hour or so.’

‘You haven’t brought Nygasi along with you today?’

‘As a matter of fact, I have. He’s guarding the pick-up, ready to make a quick exit.’

‘You didn’t invite him in then?’

‘Would that I could, Miss Huntley-Morgan, would that I could. There’s a strict no-blacks policy here for members. Which is faintly ridiculous, don’t you think? Given the fact that they work here, and that there are a hundred thousand times as many of them in this country as there are of us. Colonialism, eh? From where does it get its arrogance, I wonder?’

‘Your British Queen Victoria might have had something to do with it.’

‘Indeed, she might.’ Bill looked down at her. ‘Didn’t take you for a history buff, I must say.’

‘I majored in the subject at Vassar,’ said Cecily, and for the first time mentally thanked her father for suggesting it would be a far more useful subject to study than Economics.

‘Did you indeed? Well now, isn’t that a thing?’ Bill reached out a hand to grasp a glass of champagne from a waiter. ‘What do you intend to do with your education, might I ask?’

‘Nothing much,’ Cecily shrugged. ‘What can women “do” with their knowledge?’

‘You yourself have just pointed out that all this – the British Empire – was created by a woman,’ he countered.

‘Sadly, I am not an empress. And I don’t wish to be one either.’

‘Well, let me tell you, there are many “empresses” standing in front of you – in their own minds anyway. And some emperors too. But it’s easy to be a big fish in a small pond, as long as there are tiddlers – that’s small fish to you, my dear – swimming around them, prepared to take second place. Look over there, for example.’ Bill pointed at Joss Erroll, with Idina and Alice on either side of him. ‘They’ve all had to learn to share, if you know what I mean.’

‘Yes, I think I do.’

‘Now then, I mustn’t keep you on the grandest social occasion of the year. Although I doubt there’ll be many more to come. I’ve just heard that Germany has invaded Prague. We’re on the brink of another world war. If I were you, I’d scuttle off home to America before it’s too late.’

‘Oh my goodness!’ Cecily looked up at Bill in horror. ‘When did you hear that?’

‘Joss Erroll is a friend of mine and in fact, it was he who convinced me to come over here and settle in Africa. He told me in confidence earlier. He’s the Deputy Director of the Central Manpower Committee and is responsible for planning the distribution of military and civilian personnel. I’m sworn to secrecy, of course – he doesn’t want a word of it getting out to the happy couple on their special day, but . . . I’m afraid all bets are off. Chamberlain’s “peace for our time” declaration has just been well