Today's Embrace by Linda Lee Chaikin

Author:Linda Lee Chaikin [Chaikin, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-56352-1
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2011-12-28T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A hyena warbled and sobbed in the darkness.

Arcilla’s flesh prickled as she looked behind her into the night. The leaves on the bushes lining the walk up to Government House shimmered in the windy moonlight. Peter had been delayed from returning with her, as they’d met Dr. Jameson. He’d heard about Anthony and ridden out to get all the facts. Afterward he’d wanted Peter to attend a meeting at his house. Arcilla had gone with Peter and had been served tea while Peter went with Jameson and some other officers into the meeting. Finally, she’d had to send a message to Peter through the cook that she needed to get back to Baby Charles. Dr. Jameson had insisted one of his aides safely escort her back to Government House while Peter stayed to finish the meeting.

This time, surely, after what had happened to Anthony, Peter would keep his promise to come home early to cheer her and cuddle his baby son.

Arcilla opened the front door and stepped inside the big rambling bare wood room everyone called the common room. Here, attachés working for Julien, Peter, and the Company police had their desks and chairs lined around the walls. One of those desks belonged to Captain Ryan Retford.

A few small oil lamps were burning on several of the desks to cast a secure glow. She grimaced, for the light also revealed bugs that disappeared into the cracks when she approached. She walked slowly to give them time to scurry away. Anything to avoid them. Little lizards walked the ceiling. She liked the geckos; she thought they ate lots of bugs. Some bugs didn’t run away, but seemed to run toward her. Before the rainy season there were spiders, lots of spiders. Some were flying spiders—to her, at least, they appeared to fly. Peter claimed he needed calming pills as the rainy season approached just to endure her screams. Peter always exaggerated. Her screams weren’t loud, just little shrieks. At night she would make him wake up and lead the way safely to the “powder room.” Sometimes he would need to carry her.

“My dear, can you not just ignore them?”

“You’re heartless. How can I? They squish if you step on them.”

Standing in the common room, she looked along the floor before walking. She picked up the hem of her straight skirt and tiptoed across to some steps.

There was a square woven matlike rug in the center of the floor. She moved as quietly as she could toward some crude wooden steps that led to the top rooms used for private sleeping quarters. She’d complained loudly to all that one small bedroom was not enough with a baby, so Peter had bribed the workmen to add a second small room and a “powder room.”

She was climbing the steps when she noticed a sliver of light under the door of Uncle Julien’s office.

They had left Julien at the bungalow with Darinda. From there he was supposed to have ridden with Harry Whipple’s police and Shona guards to question the induna at his kraal.

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