On the fourth day of safari, at their third campsite, Jace and Leigh received a curious surprise: Louisa moved into Cynthia’s tent, and Reid Adams moved in with Chad. Jace and Leigh surmised it was because of the talk late yesterday between Chad and Leigh, during which Chad had proposed. What both found strange was the fact that Louisa did not seem upset by the change in quarters. Since Chad had behaved little differently to his ward at breakfast, the blonde and the handsome guide concluded that Chad was somehow duping Louisa, and the redhead did not as yet realize she had been discarded.
They rested and relaxed that day following their long trek and several hunts. Music played on the gramophone. Chad and Reid enjoyed chess. Louisa and Cynthia chatted. The servants did chores. Jace cleaned his guns. Leigh read. Johi observed everybody.
It became hotter and steamier as the hours passed. Lunch was over, and the two men were drinking steadily. Sweat bees, flies, and mosquitoes pestered all of them today; and no one wanted to use the smelly repellent Jace offered. The air was still and heavy, and the sky was clear blue. Birds and monkeys chattered in the surrounding trees. Sweet scents of tropical flowers reached their noses. Louisa suggested a swim for the three women. Jace came to alert, and decided to be their guard. The four left camp and headed for the river.
Chad and Reid were at either end of a table, a chess board separating them, in the center of camp, with nothing between them and the tents to use for concealment.
When they began to whisper, Johi could not hear their words or get closer. Jace’s friend was annoyed, but helpless. He did not believe the white girl was tricking his friend and he doubted Jace, too, mistrusted her deep inside. Something strange and perilous was going on, Johi concluded, but Leigh Webster was not to blame. He had studied enough creatures in the wild to know which ones were good and bad. Once Jace cleared his wits, his friend would know that, too. But he would obey Jace’s orders no matter what they were.
“You said you would explain things, Chad. What’s going on? Why did you kick Louisa out? And why isn’t she mad?”
Chad looked at Reid. His brown hair was mussed, he hadn’t shaved in two days, and his grayish-brown eyes were narrower than usual. His friend looked worried and puzzled. “Relax, Reid, old chap. Everything is fine. It’s a good thing I haven’t killed her yet, because I was wrong about Leigh. You were wrong about her, and Louisa was wrong. There’s nothing between Leigh and Jace, nothing. She’s considering my marriage proposal; that’s why I had to dupe Louisa and get her away from me. It’s a damn good, thing those drugs didn’t harm her. Of course they were not intended to kill her, only to make her sick enough to be taken home. I don’t know if any of her accidents have been either Louisa or Jace’s doings, but I’ll make certain nothing else happens to my future bride.”
“What are you telling me, Chad?”
Chad revealed what Louisa, Jace, and Leigh had told him. “It’s a mighty big puzzle, but I figured it out. All the pieces fit, Reid. I haven’t lost her or the bet, but Louisa and Jace wanted me to think I had. That sly traitor is damned lucky. I’m going to forget about my revenge on him. I’m not taking a chance of messing things up again. There’s no way Jace can bind me to those crimes in London, so he’s no threat anymore. As for that trouble years ago, hell, he might be telling the truth about trying to save me. I’ll be generous and give him the benefit of doubt. If I keep things stirred up between us, I’ll never be free of him. I’m going to let my whole past die, and begin a new life with my ravishing ward.”
“You’re talking crazy, Chad. She has you so charmed you’re not thinking clearly. You’ll lose them both … everything.”
“Leigh Webster is going to marry me; I’m sure of it. Check,” Chad said with the gleam of two impending victories in his blue eyes, putting Reid’s king under attack with a white knight. “Take your next move wisely, old boy, or this match is mine, too.”
As Reid Adams pretended to consider which ebony piece to move on the chessboard, his mind was troubled by Chad’s swings in mood and behavior, which could get them both into trouble. And Reid didn’t want to be incriminated in this lethal affair. He was angry with Chad for succumbing to Leigh’s charms and altering the plot, not once, but twice. That was hazardous, as Jace and Leigh might already be suspicious of them. A smart man—which Chad usually was—should recognize the perils of being indecisive and emotionally distracted, but the besotted man was irrational these days. It would serve Chad right, Reid fumed, if Leigh coldly rejected him and surrendered to Jace Elliott. Chad had become a lovesick fool.
As Reid moved a castle on the chessboard to take Chad’s knight and to defend his king, he reasoned, “What if she’s lying? How do you know Leigh and Jace aren’t on to your plot and duping you?”
“They couldn’t be. I got rid of the drug, so there’s no evidence. If Jace suspects anybody, it’s Louisa, or Leigh. If I’m wrong, I have a pawn and plan in reserve. Checkmate, old boy,” Chad remarked, placing a queen within striking distance of Reid’s king, adding to the threat by one of Chad’s bishops whose path had been cleared by the same move. The grinning champion hinted, “Another game?”
“No, thanks. Let’s take a walk and loosen these stiff bodies. Do us both a favor, though. Keep a tight and clear eye on them.”
While Louisa and Cynthia were in the bushes being “excused,” Leigh was lying on her stomach on the grassy bank. She trailed her fingers on the surface and pondered the men in her life. A quote by Lucretius came to mind: “It is more useful to watch a man in times of peril … to discern what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off.” She was doing exactly that.
Leigh’s clothes and hair were almost dry. Yet it was so hot and humid that perspiration glistened on her body again. She wriggled forward and splashed cool water on her flushed face.
Jace bounded from beneath the surface, seized her, and pulled her into his slippery arms. She didn’t have time to scream before he covered her mouth with a soul-blistering kiss. When he released her, he teased, “I still owe you plenty, so don’t forget the count.”
Leigh was aching for peace and truth, but he was being devilish. “Damn you, Jace Elliott, I hate your little tricks.”
Jace smiled and chuckled. “Temper, temper, my tawny lioness,” he taunted. “Retract those claws and get that kill glint out of those lovely blue eyes. I was only teaching you a lesson. You had your eyes closed. What if I had been a man-eating croc? By now you would have lost your head and your life. He can snap it off with one crunch. What a tasty meal you’d make for any creature, including this one. I can hardly wait for my feast to begin.”
Leigh perceived something different about Jace, and it alarmed her. His smile was feigned. His kiss had been almost punishing. A curious glint was in his jungle-green gaze, a mysterious and predatory one. She studied him as he watched her. His jawline was taut, as if his teeth were clenched, as if he was keeping a demon imprisoned behind those white bars. His grasp had been tight and rough. He was pretending to be playful and seductive, but he was making an intimidating point. To draw him out, she remarked, “I believe you’re supposed to be on guard against all perils, Mr. Elliott, including my notorious guide. I’m not in the mood for rogues and games. Just keep away from me, as you promised last night.”
As they heard Louisa and Cynthia returning, Jace grinned and said, “Fine, for now. Later, never.” He swam away with long and graceful strokes.
Leigh forced her eyes to leave the enticing sight. What are you up to, Mr. Jace Elliott? she fretted.
Louisa called out, “You two having fun?”
Jace yelled back, “It’s wonderful, Red. Come on in.”
Cynthia and Louisa glancedat each other, giggled, and swam to him. The three began to frolic, laugh, and talk. And flirt with each other. Jace did not summon Leigh or look her way.
Leigh was riled by Jace’s actions. She was also upset by what Chad had exposed to her. She couldn’t get the two secret wagers off her mind. Jace was winning theirs, if she honored their deal. He had won part of his and Chad’s: fifteen thousand pounds for spending three times in her tent. Twenty, if that night in Mombasa counted as part of the safari, as Jace had already been hired and contracted by that night. Would Jace demand payment for those romantic moments? Would Chad pay the fifteen or twenty thousand for her seduction as agreed? What would Chad do when Jace revealed that shocking debt to her guardian? Leigh didn’t even want to imagine that distressing event. One point was odd: If Jace was willing to bet marriage to her with Chad, why had he refused wedlock in their wager when she proposed it? What was Jace’s motive and plan?
Chad and Reid arrived. Reid stripped off his boots and shirt, and went for a swim. Chad sat down beside Leigh.
“Having a good time?” he asked, sending her a blazing smile. He noticed how her soaked shirt and pants clung to her shapely body. A camisole, alas, protected her breasts from visual attack. He watched her squeeze water from her golden hair, his loins burning for her.
She nodded toward the merry scene in the river and jested, “Perhaps you should warn our hired hand to behave himself, bossman. Some bulls can’t be trusted around cows, even with fences around them. He’s after the entire herd, flirting with all of us. Actually, I think he’s trying to make me jealous.”
“Is it working?” Chad teased, then winked.
Leigh used a sultry smile on him before she quipped, “What do you think, my handsome guardian? Louisa and Cynthia might be in danger of capture and branding, but I’m wary of that fierce jungle predator. He’s as cunning and clever as a wolf on the prowl, and I don’t want to be ripped apart. Jace Elliott isn’t trustworthy.”
Cynthia took Louisa’s hint and swam to Reid.
Louisa grasped Jace’s shoulders and scoffed, “Look at those two. Chad’s twelve years older than Leigh. She’s nothing more than an innocent girl. What does he see in her, besides money?”
“She’s rich, beautiful, desirable, charming, witty, educated, seductive, sweet, innocent, good company, well-mannered, enchan—”
“Stop! That’s enough,” Louisa wailed, placing her wet fingers over Jace’s grinning lips. She snuggled her body against his. “I’m all those things and more, Jace. When are you going to give me a chance to prove it? Everyone’s busy. We could take a walk in the jungle. I promise, within ten minutes, you’ll forget she exists.”
Leigh realized that her guardian never removed his shirt, not even while swimming or on a hot day around camp. She wondered if that action was to conceal a disfigurement. “Why don’t we return to camp and you challenge me to a game of chess?” she asked Chad. “Perhaps with a little wager?”
Chad leapt to his feet. His hand extended to assist Leigh to hers. With his arm around her waist, they disappeared from sight.
“Despite your many charms and talents, Miss Jennings,” Jace told the redhead, “the answer is still no. I have my eye on Leigh, for lots of reasons. If I played around with you, I’d be no more appealing to her than Chad is with you locked around his neck. Thanks, but sorry.” Jace disengaged the woman’s arms and swam to the bank. “Take over as guard, Reid. I’m heading for camp and a stiff drink.” He left.
“What’s wrong with you, Reid,” Cynthia asked. “You’ve been a bore, and an old man in bed.”
“I’m worried about Chad. He’s determined to win Leigh, and I doubt he can succeed. If he does …”
“You mean he’s lying to Louisa? He isn’t going to marry her?”
“Where are your wits, woman? What do you think?” Reid hinted.
Leigh wondered if Jace would come running to prevent what he surely suspected from her provocative behavior with Chad at the river, and how soon? She hoped it was fast, because she allowed Chad to kiss her before reaching camp. She needed to let Chad believe he had her duped. She must observe both men during these perilous times, discover the truth and secrets in their deepest hearts, and remove their rivalry masks. She had to learn what they wanted from her. As soon as possible, she needed to escape both deceitful men, but until she did, she must find ways to delude and control both of them.
The kiss was pleasant, but Chad was a master at seduction. When it ended, she smiled at him and said, “Let’s begin our game before the others catch us. Perhaps a second kiss is a good wager.”
Chad beamed. “That’s fine, my beautiful ward, but I’d prefer marriage as an incentive, or even a betrothal.”
“You’re much too eager and disarming, Chad. You do have a reputation as quite a womanizer. I wouldn’t be just another conquest, would I?” she jested, caressing his passion-flushed cheek.
“You’re the only woman I’ve met of any importance and value. I would do anything to win you, Leigh.”
“Anything?” she echoed, and laughed as if pleased.
“Name it, my love,” he coaxed. “I’ll be your slave for life.”
“I’ll have to give it serious thought. Let’s go.”
Jace witnessed the kiss, and Leigh’s enticing manner. Something didn’t seem right in her voice and behavior today. At the river he had seen such pain, such mistrust, such yearning in her gaze. Why? Her own words had exposed her as a liar and a cheat, but … But what? he agonized. It was almost as if she had been turned against him. Yet, if Chad had told her lies, why didn’t she confront him and give him a chance to defend himself as he had with Louisa and Ka’arta? The words he had overheard the other day from behind the bush plagued him. Jace hated to imagine that Leigh knew that her grandfather was behind his troubles and had held silent to protect William Webster. But, he asked himself, what else could she have meant?
Jace grimaced. He despised the fact she had a powerful secret with his rival and was so close to Chad. He suddenly realized he had thought of Chad as his rival, not enemy. He knew why. His war with Chad no longer mattered if it cost him Leigh, or the woman he had thought she was. Johi was on her side, and the African’s instincts had never been wrong. Too, rarely had his own led him astray, and his whole being shouted she was innocent or being coerced. If so, why didn’t she seek his help? Perhaps for the same reason Joanna hadn’t when Chad had entrapped her. Jace knew he must uncover both Leigh and Joanna’s reasons. The truth, he scoffed. Why was it always so hard to find? This tormenting matter had to be settled soon, or he’d go crazy.
Leigh won her chess game with Chad, as her father had taught her well, and her uncle Colin had practiced for hours with her. She glanced at him, shrugged, and smiled. Chad then fetched a drink. She was suddenly aware of Jace’s close proximity and potent gaze, and the untypical Scotch in his grasp. She dared not look his way, as that green gaze could be her undoing. She had to conceal her warring emotions from everyone. In a few days, she would find a way to get him alone, then force the truth from him.
Dinner was served using items brought from London: china, crystal, silverware, and a tablecloth from one of the Webster mills. While they dined, the gramophone sent forth strains of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore and Strauss’s The Gypsy Baron. The conversation was light, mostly about past and future hunts. They were served a combination of British and African dishes. Roasted meat was topped with piri piri, a sauce of chopped chilis, grated coconut, and dried coriander. With it, they devoured yams and chapatis, a thick and large skillet bread. To drink, the servant poured cups of chai masala, a tea flavored with sweet spices, cardamom, and pepper to give a palate-tingling finish to the Swahili meal. For dessert, they enjoyed a mixture of tropical fruits sprinkled with a variety of spices and nuts.
Leigh fingered the fine linen tablecloth as she reflected on her grandfather and the business he had left to her. She was convinced Chad was honest about his affections, but she feared that her inheritance had inspired them. No matter if he swore she was the most important thing to him, she did not believe him. Perhaps he was so caught up in his desperate deception that he believed his own lie.
Where Jace Elliott was concerned, she was at a total loss. She was positive her love did not know about the curious codicil. She suspected that Jace had made the bet with Chad to give him justification for taking Chad’s offer, as he had implied in her Mombasa suite. But why hadn’t he explained the shocking matter after they became so close? Several times Jace had said he would tell her everything later. Was the secret wager part of what he planned to divulge? He had said that, if he revealed everything, she would turn against him. Surely he had believed Chad would never expose such information for the same reason. Perhaps Chad had done so to obtain an advantage.
Everything was so mixed up. And, she felt, there was a missing clue to this riddle. There must be more between the two men than either had related. That clue held their real motives.
Jace hadn’t needed Chad’s wager to win her. She was entrapped by her own emotions and desires, by her surrender and her wager. Even after making that offensive bargain with Chad, Jace had given her several opportunities to refuse the safari. Yes, she reasoned, Jace had practically pushed her away by making outrageous demands. She had persisted with the trek, his employment, and their bet. Jace had held silent to Chad about his two victories, despite her behavior of late. That realization warned her to be careful how she treated him.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight, Leigh,” the man in mind teased.
Leigh glanced at him and murmured, “I’m pleasantly fatigued, Jace. That swim, the heat, and this wonderful dinner have me relaxed. While I’m feeling so mellow, I think I’ll turn in. Good night, all.”
“Good-night, Leigh,” said her guardian, and watched her leave.
“I think I’ll follow Leigh’s example,” Reid told them, and headed for the tent he now shared with Chad.
Louisa and Cynthia left the table, too, to talk inside their tent.
Chad looked at Jace. “It’s you and me, just like old times. Care for a hand of cards and a drink? I don’t cheat anymore.”
“Is that a fact?” Jace taunted as he observed Chad’s genial smile and mood. It troubled Jace that his rival was actually trying to make peace and to win Leigh. Perhaps Leigh was accurate in her speculation that Chad had changed since their last conflict. If so, it was that tawny lioness’s influence on the wicked beast. Time would tell. “Maybe tomorrow night. We should get some rest. We need our wits alert. Dulled senses get a man into trouble.”
“You’re right, old friend.” Chad stood, stretched, and left.
Jace fetched an item from his tent and walked to Leigh’s. “You awake, Miss Webster?” When she came to the entrance and lifted the mosquito-net covering, he said, “I have something belonging to you. It was mixed in with my clean clothes. Mkwawa should know it isn’t mine.” He held up the cotton, lace, and ribbon camisole and sniffed it. He grinned. “I recognized the size and scent as yours. It’s been washed, but you have a nice fragrance that still clings to it.”
Leigh frowned, then pulled the undergarment from his fingers. “Thank you for returning my possession, Mr. Elliott. Too bad you can’t return all of them.”
“Do you really want back what I took? Rather, what you gave?”
She eyed the grinning rogue. “Part of it, yes.”
His playful grin faded. “Which part?”
“I’ll let you decide my meaning. By the way, would you back off a mite with the taunts and flirts? You told me Chad was a threat, so I’m working on him to discover the truth. Your recent behavior isn’t helping matters, and it isn’t a good way to entice or to hold a woman’s affections. Good night.”
“What does that mean? What are you up to, woman?”
“I’ll explain later, when I get the answers. Good night, Jace.”
“Get plenty of rest. We go hunting early in the morning.”
Jace decided to give Leigh one last chance to be honest with him. He sneaked into her tent and awakened her. “I wanted to apologize for being so asinine lately. Blame it on jealousy and tension. I also want to warn you to be careful with Chad. He isn’t a fool, Leigh.”
Leigh made the same decision Jace had, one last chance to tell the truth. She loved him, and couldn’t give up on him until she was certain her love was in vain. “That also applies to me, Jace, jealousy and nerves. If there was any peril, it seems to be over now. Soon we’ll be alone and we can forget this mess; you are winning.”
Jace recalled her words to Chad about fleeing their bargain, and it pained him. “I promise you won’t regret losing to me. I can hardly wait until it’s the two of us alone.” Please, open up to me, love, his heart and mind—his very soul—urged.
Leigh needed to coax him to confide in her. “I know, Jace.” She murmured. “It won’t be long.” She drew his head down and kissed him.
Wounded hearts, troubled minds, yearning souls, and hungry bodies craved contact and solace. They clung together in urgent need. They kissed until both were breathless and aflame, then yanked off their garments and sank to the bedcover on the jungle floor.
Jace worked skillfully and leisurely to arouse her, to dispel her tension and doubts. His tongue darted into and out of her mouth and across her lips. He nibbled at her ear lobes, his hot breath enlivening her senses. His mouth slipped down her throat, halting at her pulse point to absorb her reaction to him. His lips brushed her collarbone, then moved down her cleavage to encircle the base of each firm mound. With tantalizing and stimulating slowness, he traveled up one breast to moisten and arouse the rosy-brown peak. When his mouth relinquished the taut point, his forefinger and thumb caressed it while he labored at the other peak. One hand drifted down her stomach, caressing every inch of her quivering body along its journey.
Jace’s fingers stroked her inner thigh, moving closer and closer to her womanly domain. He felt her trembling in need, suspense, anticipation, and pleasure. His mouth recaptured hers as his hand covered the center of her desire. There, he intoxicated her until she moaned and writhed. His searing kisses and artful caresses drove her wild. She willingly and eagerly surrendered herself to him. He was determined to become her only reality, to make himself unforgettable, irresistible. He was resolved to titillate her fierce yearnings and to kindle her smoldering desires until her body pleaded for appeasement and her heart loved only him, until she was unable to never part with him.
Leigh’s mouth fused with his, exploring and tasting the sweet desire within him. He held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe, but she didn’t care. Her fingers played in his hair, across his back, along his arms, and down his neck. Every inch of her body tingled and burned. She let her responses tell him she was willing to be conquered and claimed by him, and him alone. She was enslaved to him. Her hand slid down his side and her fingers grasped the prize that could drive her mindless. She stroked it, relishing its warmth and smoothness. “Please, Jace,” she entreated him to continue.
Jace moved atop her, and she greeted his arrival with blazing surrender. Her hands wandered up and down his strong back, savoring the feel of his rippling muscles as he labored to sate them. The stimulating sensations were overpowering and wonderful. By instinct her body responded to him. Engulfed by fiery desire, her mouth almost savagely meshed against his and her tongue danced provocatively with his. Her body arched upward over and over, and she seductively wriggled closer to his enticing frame. Wanting and needing him as close and deep as possible, she wrapped her legs around him and clutched him possessively.
Jace increased his pace and force, driving them onward toward rapture. He expertly guided her through the tangled jungle of desire, up the summit of pleasure, and carried them down the other side of the blissful mountain. As he trekked, he was patient and gentle, passionate and tender, taking and giving, pushing his self-control and stamina to their limits. His mouth rested upon hers, then his lips roamed to her neck. “You’re mine, Leigh, all mine,” he murmured into her ear at the height of their joy. He clasped her to him and rolled to his back, carrying her atop him. His mouth continued to savor her kisses and his fingers stroked her wet back and drifted into her damp hair. In time, his heartbeat returned to normal.
The staggering climax left them weak and shaky. They were exhausted but content. It had been a journey beyond description, beyond comparison, beyond any previous pleasure. Sweat rolled down their sides. The scent of lovemaking hung heavy in the imprisoned air.
Leigh nestled her face to his chest, uncaring that it was soaked from his exertions and the tropical heat. Heavens, she loved this man. She never wanted to be parted from him. She wanted to be his wife, the mother of his children, his partner, his friend, his lover.
“You don’t know what you do to me, Leigh,” he whispered.
She hugged him tightly. “I know what I hope I do to you; I hope I make you want me more than anything else in your life.”
“Is that how I affect you?” he asked, his voice hoarse and husky.
“Yes,” she admitted, then kissed him with yearning.
Neither asked probing questions, and neither offered answers to unspoken ones. Neither wanted to force a confrontation now; each wanted trust and a commitment to come willingly. Perhaps all they needed was more time together. Yet each felt hurt and denied, as they had failed to touch completely tonight.
While the safari party was concealed in tall grass, a band of hyenas raced by on their way to seek sleeping cover after their night of feeding on carrion. The carcass eaters reeked of rotten flesh and the stench of death.
Leigh felt queasy and held her nose for a time.
“They trail lions mostly,” Jace whispered, “cleaning up after them. Sometimes they shadow pregnant animals so they can gobble up the newborn before its skin is dry from birth. Most people think the hyena is a coward, but he isn’t. He can be ruthless and skilled on a hunt. You don’t want one to bite you. His jaws and teeth can devour bone as easily as tender flesh. Some tribes leave their dead out at night for those scavengers to bury in their bellies, especially if the person died of a terrible disease and the natives don’t want to touch the body. By allowing the hyenas to devour the dead, some natives believe a person’s spirit can inhabit the animal and be reborn.”
Leigh knew there were scavengers in the human kingdom as well, people who would consume other people, particularly the weak and helpless. Jace had teased her once to beware of “predators like me.” She hoped and prayed that’s all he was, and not a skulking scavenger.
The trek for lion continued. At the edge of the last savanna before it swept into foothills, they saw numerous herds of migrating wildebeest. Among them were the ever-present zebra and gazelles. Some herds seemed to stretch for miles on the grasslands, reminding Leigh of what the buffalo must have done long ago on the American plains. An occasional tree offered a few animals shade from the blazing sun. Although peril was never far away, the creatures seemed content to graze and browse peacefully. Yet predators had followed the herd from Tanzania into British East Africa.
A pack of spotted wild dogs—the wolves of Africa, Leigh was told—were closing in on a solitary wildebeest. To her, the wild dog favored the hyena. But, as Jace explained, he was very different.
He motioned to the pack. “There’s a bloodthirsty killer for you. A pack will challenge a full-grown and healthy wildebeest. Usually there are five to twenty running together. The wild dog has speed, stamina, and intelligence. They take turns running their quarry to tire it. If the creature falters or doesn’t get back to the protection of the herd, like that big boy, they’ll rip his flanks and belly open.”
Despite her revulsion, Leigh watched the tragic, but natural, sight. The mostly black-and-brown killers had white-tipped tails and broad muzzles. The dogs were sturdy and determined. Their large ears were cocked to catch all sounds of the area and signals from the group. As with a wolf pack, the dogs relentlessly pursued their large prey.
Jace continued, “They offer more danger to the migrating herds than lions, cheetahs, and leopards put together. Watch how they close in on that bull when he fatigues and is forced to make a stand.”
Leigh witnessed the beauty, intrigue, and horror of nature. The pack streamed after the wild beast, nipping viciously at it. At last, it halted and challenged its attackers with ineffective horns.
“He’s twisting and turning to protect his flanks and belly. Once a pack separates its quarry from cover and help, they usually succeed with the kill. Those teeth are like sharp knives; it’ll be over soon.”
Leigh wondered if one of the human male beasts with her was trying to separate her from the cover and aid of the other. Presently she felt like secluded prey, helpless and vulnerable and afraid. She felt as if two predators were nipping viciously at her flanks and innards. She had, as the wildebeest, grown exhausted and been compelled to take her last stand. If only her beloved Sir Lance—
“Let’s move out,” Jace ordered again, tugging at her arm to pull her back to reality. “Did that scene disturb you?”
“A little,” she admitted. “Brutal killing should, shouldn’t it?”
“I would be stunned if it didn’t. Out of ignorance and hunger, that animal made the mistake of getting too far from safety. As you can see, risks and recklessness cause trouble.”
Leigh knew his words carried dual meanings, so she listened with care. “Paying with its life seemed unfair for a mistake in judgment.”
“That’s the way it is out here, Leigh: swift and deadly. If you walk a wild trail, you often get lost or slain.”
“I’m not certain I like your Africa, Jace. It’s very cruel and unpredictable. I have trouble understanding its secrets and ways.”
Jace locked his gaze on hers. “But it’s very beautiful, intriguing, and enchanting. It steals your soul if you aren’t careful.”
“A thief, too?” she quipped, aware Chad had moved closer.
“Is there a problem?” Chad asked as he eyed the two intently.
Leigh smiled and said, “No, just talking about Africa.”
They sighted several male lions beneath a tree in the open space. The beasts had tawny manes near their faces that drifted into black hair around their necks. They appeared noble, and had a wild beauty. Their golden eyes had not seen the hunting party, nor had their broad noses detected it. The solitary tree amidst the honey-colored trio was partially debarked by sharp claws. The large-bodied males were among the finest in Africa, or so Jace claimed. Lions were social creatures who consorted in prides for strength. The hunt was what bound them together. Power, wits, and daring selected the leader.
A pride nearby consisted of five lionesses, cubs of various sizes and ages, and the three males lying in the shade. Each pride claimed a territory, marked by clawed trees and urine-sprayed boundaries. Jace told them how a male would kill the offspring of other males to assert his rank, to allow survival for his heirs, and to put the females in heat.
One male stood and strolled, moving closer to their hiding area upwind, and yawned. “His teeth are yellow and blunt,” Jace whispered. “He’s battle-scarred and old, so you don’t want him. The others are too far away for a clean shot. Let’s move on.”
The next sighting was no better, as the pride was still too distant. With the beasts in the open, there was no way to sneak closer.
They walked farther, and came upon an attack. Several lionesses brought down a zebra. The hair and whiskers near their mouths were red with fresh blood. As two males approached the kill to feed, a fight took place. In a flurry of bites, growls, and claws, one lost ground and bled profusely. As a gesture of defeat and submission, the loser rolled to his back with his mouth agape. The victor roared, and the loser remained cowered. The big cat tossed its head, shaking its amber and black mane. He stalked to the kill, and all moved aside to relent to his rank. The leader’s mouth seized a black-and-white flank and jerked, ripping open a spot where he could begin his feast.
“After he’s gorged himself, the others can eat. When they leave to nap, the hyenas and vultures will take over. There won’t be anything left in a few days.” Jace glanced at the sky. It was getting late. The horizon would soon be blood-red with sunset. “We can’t get near enough today. Let’s try again tomorrow. We need to reach camp before other predators go on the prowl.”
Jace saw Chad talking with two of Jim’s men and not the first time, he realized. He worried that Jim and those men were Chad’s hirelings. Had he been watching the wrong people? Those men could have easily pulled off those “accidents.” If Chad had been spying on him and Leigh, he could know the truth about their love affair. Chad’s wooing could be a pretense to fool him and Leigh. The bastard could be after them as originally suspected.
Whatever, he was certain Chad planned to get rid of Leigh because of what she knew. If she held secrets about him, that explained her lack of fear of Chad. But didn’t she realize the bastard didn’t like loose ends? Maybe Chad had set up him and Leigh from the start, and Louisa was to be his scapegoat. The situation was getting more complicated and he needed answers soon.
As Jace lay on his cot, he reflected on this day of torment and ignorance. He had watched Leigh remove her pith helmet to pour water over her face to cool it. Her wet hair had clung to her beautiful face before drying to a sunny gold. He had wanted to lick the beads of water from lashes surrounding alluring blue eyes. He had yearned to yank her into his imprisoning embrace and never release her.
Once, she had grasped the back of her skirttail, drawn it between her thighs, and tucked the edge over her belt for easier movement. He’d glimpsed her sleek, tawny legs and ached for her. Each time she had spoken to him or looked at him, he had wished he could trust her.
Mercy, that false angel had him so bewildered and flustered and aflame. His mind was in turmoil. Why couldn’t he forget her treacherous words? Why hadn’t she told him the truth, whatever it was? He had given her many chances to come clean. If she loved him and had nothing to hide, why hadn’t she? The safari was almost over and he was no closer to understanding Chad’s involvement in those London crimes than when the man arrived. Worse, Leigh now seemed enmeshed. The bet and his wages didn’t matter, only exoneration and desire for Leigh.
Jace, Chad, Reid, Johi, and ten bearers departed early to stalk lion: their final quarry. The three women and remaining men were left in or near camp. Chad had worried aloud that the lion hunt was too dangerous for the females, and Jace had ordered them to stay behind today. Mkwawa was told to watch Leigh with his eagle eyes.
The hunting party had been gone for two hours when Louisa told Cynthia, “I’m going to Leigh’s tent and get my vengeance right now before someone else does.”
“You can’t, Louisa; Chad will kill you if you harm her. Here, take your quinine tablet. You’ve hardly used any of them, and I see you sneaking unboiled water. You’re being foolish in both cases.”
Louisa pushed aside the outstretched hand with the bitter pill. “Relax, Cynthia. Chad will never know what I’ve done. It’s past time to deal with that blond harlot. Stay here. I mean it.”
Louisa peered outside. Mkwawa was working at the table, his back to the tents. She didn’t want the head servant to sight her and report to the men, so she crept to Leigh’s tent and slipped inside.
Leigh glanced at the hostile woman as she entered the tent and approached the cot where Leigh was reading. “Hello, Louisa.”
“It’s time you and I have an understanding, my devious rival.”
Leigh looked into the woman’s cold eyes and concurred. “Perhaps it is past time for us to clear the air between us.” The blonde had expected trouble ever since the redhead had been put out of Chad’s tent.
“You think you’re so beautiful and desirable, don’t you? You think because you’re rich now you can do as you please. You think you can walk into my life and steal my man. Tyler Clark isn’t enough for a greedy bitch like you, is he? You crave Chad, and Jace, too. But you won’t want either of them after you learn the truth. Chad can rant and rave, but I’m going to tell you.”
“What truth is that, Louisa?” Leigh asked, calm and vexing.
The redhead’s malicious words wiped the taunting smile from her rival’s lips and eyes. “It isn’t about those stupid bets you and Chad have with Jace. Not even about the secret one you have with our handsome guide.” When Leigh’s eyes widened in surprise, Louisa scoffed, “Yes, I know about all of them. I do have ways of extracting information from men. I was hoping both Chad and Jace would realize they aren’t the hunters and you aren’t the prey; it’s the other way around. They only thought they were winning you, but you’re duping both of them. Would you like to know why they really made that wager? Why both of them are so eager to get their hands on you? It isn’t your virginal body or huge inheritance, Miss Webster; it’s for revenge. Has either of them mentioned Joanna Harris to you?”
Leigh came to full alert. “Who is Joanna Harris?”
The redhead glared at Leigh. “I see; neither of them told you about her. I’m not surprised; it would spoil their wicked sport. She’s more beautiful and desirable than both of us put together, but she was gullible and weak. She’s what happened between two good friends. She’s the reason they hate each other. After that trouble in South Africa, Jace and Chad were at each other’s throats and doing all they could to spite each other. Joanna Harris was supposed to move to Africa with Jace as soon as everything was prepared here. While Jace was gone, Chad charmed and seduced Joanna. The bitch moved in with Chad. When Jace returned to London, he was furious. They got into a fight. Jace was jailed for a month for nearly killing Chad. On Chad’s orders Miss Joanna refused to visit Jace in prison and explain. When Jace was released, Joanna still refused to see him or to leave Chad. Jace left London swearing revenge on Chad. That’s what this little wager is about, you blind girl, another woman! Jace wants to take Joanna’s replacement and all she owns away from Chad. And Chad, he’s flaunting you in Jace’s face because he thinks he has you hooked and turned against Jace. Chad didn’t consider Joanna’s conquest and ruin enough punishment for what Jace had done to him.”
Leigh was stunned. “You’re full of lies and hatred, Louisa.”
The redhead laughed. “You know I’m telling the truth.”
Leigh knew such words could be checked out too easily for her to he. She wondered if that woman was the missing clue to the mystery, as Louisa alleged. “Where is this Joanna Harris?”
“After Chad was finished with her, he discarded her, just like he’ll do with you after you’ve served your purpose. Joanna was very special to Jace Elliott. It was quite a scandal. Jace wouldn’t forgive her or take her back, so Joanna was forced to leave town. Jace hates Chad for destroying her. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chad is responsible for those London crimes as Jace suspects. Frankly I don’t care. I think William Webster either discovered or realized the truth, and it caused his heart to fail. Chad and Jace despise each other. This wager and safari were for revenge. That’s all you mean to either of them. Oh, I know he’s discarding me for you. I know Chad craves your wealth and the firm, but those are merely added benefits. What he’s truly after is destroying Jace Elliott for trying to kill him in South Africa and for stealing his diamonds,” Louisa charged, having learned that fact from Cynthia, who had gleaned it from a drunken Reid.
“You’ve never seen Chad without his shirt. Have you wondered why? I’ll tell you. He and Jace hired out as guards for a peace mission to warring Mata-beles. On a dare from one of the men, Chad stole a sacred knife from their leader. The natives tracked him and abducted him. Every morning and night, they used the ritual knife to carve one of their pagan symbols on his back and chest. They poured a stinging liquid over the cuts to make him scream and beg. When his torso was fully marked, they were going to sacrifice him to their god. Every night he was kept suspended from a tree. I’m surprised the insects eating on those wounds didn’t give him a disease and kill him. Luckily those savages didn’t harm his handsome face. Chad used it to charm one of the native girls into freeing him, the chiefs daughter. She led him to safety, then he killed her to punish her father. You know the other details of that misadventure, or what each man claims is the truth.”
“If Lord Chadwick Hamilton is so terrible, Lady Louisa,” Leigh scoffed, “why are you trying to kill me to get him? What do you want with a wicked earl, and at such a risk and price?”
“Are you crazy?” Louisa retorted. “Don’t you realize Chad and Jace are behind those incidents just to turn you in their favor? Don’t be so blind and naive. What good would it do me to risk prison to kill you? Chad would only find another woman to conquer. Why don’t you confront them when they return to camp? I dare you. If you don’t, I will. I swear it. I’m ready for this game to end. Chad has used me and humiliated me for the last time. They should return at sunset. We’ll both be ready to greet them. Chad told me he was going to marry me when we returned to London. He said I was a problem between you and him, that you would fire him to get rid of me. I moved out of his tent to appease you. After thinking it over and watching you two lately, I know he lied.”
“Yes, he did lie to you. He asked me to marry him. I said yes.”
“You what?”
Leigh enjoyed the look of shock, then fury on the woman’s face. “I also told Jace I would marry him. I’m not as stupid as you all think, Louisa. It was only a trick until I returned home and got rid of both of them. You can have Chad or Jace, or both. I’m only playing with them to keep the peace, nothing more, you bitch.”
“Are you telling the truth? I don’t trust you.”
“No more than I trust you,” Leigh scoffed. “But it’s the truth.”
“Why did you lie to me about your sweetheart in Texas?”
“To shut you up and to halt your petty jealousy. You were so damned worried about me stealing Chad that you never realized I didn’t want him. I never have, and I never will. There is one thing you should know, Louisa. This may have begun as a plot for revenge, but Chad is really in love with me. So is Jace. It seems both got snared in their traps for me. That’s a real shame.”
“Love doesn’t change your mind about them?” she hinted.
“No,” Leigh replied in a cold tone. “I could never desire or trust either of them. As with you, I don’t like being used, duped, or entrapped. I’m selling the firm—but not to Chad—and I’m going home to America after the safari. Both men can simmer and suffer for all I care. As for you, you deserve a snake like Lord Chadwick Hamilton, and he deserves a bitch like Lady Louisa Jennings.”
The redhead glared at the blonde, mentally vowing she’d be dead soon and trouble her no more, and left the tent unseen.
As Leigh lay on her cot with her eyes closed, she waxed between alarm, anguish, and anger. Another woman was not the missing clue she had expected to find. Her treacherous lover had duped her for the last time, and so had her devious guardian. She yearned to get far away from all of these hateful scavengers.
Leigh looked up as one of the men from the safari sneaked into her tent. She was seized, disabled, and forced to drink a bitter drug. As blackness engulfed her, she knew the ruse was over…