say hello to my gorgeous goddaughter. Cecily, honey, meet Idina, one of my best friends in the whole wide world.’
Cecily greeted the woman, who was wearing a long gauzy dress that her mother would no doubt tell her was made of the finest chiffon. Idina smelt of expensive perfume, her short hair was waved neatly in a bob and her eyebrows were perfectly arched.
‘And who might this be?’ Kiki asked, smiling at the tall gentleman next to Idina.
‘Why, it’s Lynx, of course!’ said Idina in a very British accent. ‘You must remember, I wrote to you about him. We’re engaged to be married.’
‘Hello, Cecily.’ Lynx gave a bow, then took her hand and kissed it. Cecily saw features that were perfectly arranged in his face, and the eyes that appraised her were sharp and intelligent, like those of the animal he was named after.
‘What a delight to meet you, my dear,’ said Idina. ‘I hope Kiki has filled you in on every bit of scandal I’ve caused since I arrived in Kenya.’
‘Actually, she’s been very discreet.’
‘That’s not like her at all. Anyway, I’m on the straight and narrow now, aren’t I, Lynx?’
‘I bally well hope so, my dear,’ he replied as Aleeki arrived with a tray of martinis and champagne. ‘Although from what Idina has been telling me, I rather feel I’ve missed out on all the fun.’
‘It’s not what it used to be round here, but we do our best to live up to the scandalous reputation we’ve garnered over the years,’ said Idina, giving Kiki a wink.
Content to listen rather than participate, and still so tired, Cecily made an effort to sit up very straight in her chair so that she wouldn’t doze off. Idina and Kiki continued to gossip about their mutual friends, while Lynx sat patiently by his fiancée’s side.
Cecily watched as Aleeki placed a golden samovar on the table. Kiki removed the lid to reveal a small heap of white powder and a number of slim paper straws. Still chatting to Idina, Kiki slid the samovar so it sat in front of her, then picked up a straw and separated a small amount of powder from the rest. She stuck the straw up her nose, bent over and sniffed hard. Removing the straw from her nose, she wiped away any remaining dust then passed the samovar to Idina, who did the same.
‘Want some, honey? It’ll sure help to keep you awake a little longer tonight,’ Kiki said.
‘I, er . . . no thanks.’ Since Cecily had no clue as to what the powder actually was and why one would put it up one’s nose rather than in one’s mouth, she decided she wasn’t about to take any chances.
‘Alice, my darling!’ Kiki stood up once more to greet another woman who had arrived on the terrace, dressed in a midnight-blue silk gown that skimmed her thin frame. She had wide brown eyes and short dark hair that framed her elegant jaw. ‘It’s our very own wicked Madonna!’ Kiki greeted the new arrival with a warm hug. ‘Thank you for not coming in your farm clothes, my dear. And look who you dragged with you!’
‘Actually,’ said Alice, ‘I think he rather dragged me.’
Cecily recognised the man immediately, even though he was looking rather different to how he had in New York – Captain Tarquin Price was fully attired in military dress, despite the heat of the evening.
‘Sorry, I didn’t have time to change – I came straight from Nairobi and it was rather a detour to Alice’s farm to collect her.’
‘I think you look very dapper, Tarquin, darling,’ said Kiki as she guided the two of them across to the table. ‘And look who I managed to drag all the way from Manhattan?’ she said, indicating Cecily.
‘Good grief! Miss Huntley-Morgan, we meet again. Glad you could make it,’ Tarquin said with considerable understatement as Cecily stood up to be politely kissed on both cheeks. He took a glass of champagne and sat down next to her. ‘How was the journey?’
‘Long,’ Cecily said as she took a sip of her martini, ‘and dusty.’
‘But you’re glad you came? It is rather an extraordinary place your godmother has here, isn’t it?’
‘I really couldn’t say yet, because I’ve slept most of the day. But the sunset was just incredible, and the lake is simply marvellous. Can one swim in it?’
‘As long as one is aware of the hippos, yes. And the crocodiles, of course . . .’
‘Crocodiles?!’
‘Only teasing, Cecily, of course