A flustered Marina joined Rose, Craig, and Thabiti in Rose’s large bedroom.
She rubbed her wrists and said politely, “I’m sorry about the noise. I hope the other guests didn’t disturb you.” She bit her lip and looked down at the floor.
Rose stepped across, laid an arm around Marina’s shoulder and said, “We are your friends. You don’t have to apologise to us. Anyway, Thabiti explained that the lodge owners offered these guests accommodation out of sympathy. They should be grateful and not throw their weight around and upset you.”
Marina ran a hand through her glossy black hair. “And yet he’s so pompous. And his poor wife didn’t utter a word. I can’t say I envy her.”
Marina wandered across to the window and stared through it. She breathed in and out deeply three times and then turned to them with a relieved smile. “What I had been eager to tell you is that we are having a special dinner tonight to mark the opening of the lodge. All the guests will be eating together and we’ll be joining you.” Marina paused and scratched her neck as she looked in Thabiti’s direction.
He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at the rug covering the wooden floor. Rose felt the tension between Marina and Thabiti. Thabiti was fearful of social situations and particularly worried about meeting and speaking to new people.
In Nanyuki, around people he was getting to know, he was improving, but his anxiety about meeting the other guests, who were strangers to him, was tangible.
Marina swallowed and continued, “There will be cocktails and sundowners by the pool from six o’clock. I hope you can both join us.”
Craig reached up and tapped Thabiti on the arm. “I don’t think I can manage a full-blown dinner and it will be too tiring with all those people. Would you mind joining me for a light supper in this lovely room?”
Thabiti removed his other hand from his pocket and ran a finger along one arm of the wheelchair.
Rose jumped in. “What a good idea, Craig. There’s no point exhausting yourself on the first night, or you might be too tired to enjoy the rest of the weekend.” She turned to Marina. “You don’t mind if Thabiti and Craig miss the main dinner, do you?” She looked at Thabiti, whose head was bowed. “Is that OK with you, Thabiti?”
He glanced up at Marina with anguished eyes and quickly returned his attention to the wheelchair.
Marina slapped her thigh. “I agree, that’s an excellent idea. But you’ll still join us, won’t you Rose?” Her forehead wrinkled.
Rose rested a hand on Marina’s arm. “Of course, my dear, I’m looking forward to it.”
“Good, good.” Marina strode across and opened the door. She turned and called, “See you ALL tonight for sundowners.”
Thabiti collapsed in one of the wingback chairs. He was sweating. “Thanks for getting me out of that. I don’t think I could have coped with all those people and a formal dinner. Marina knows I hate these events, so why did she assume I’d attend?”
Rose sat down opposite him. “She’s in her work mode now, trying to run the lodge efficiently, whilst being polite to the guests. And as she’s hosting tonight’s dinner, she probably assumed you’d join her. She’s clearly put an enormous amount of work into setting up the lodge for today’s opening. Maybe she just wanted to share her achievement with you.”
Thabiti picked at a loose thread on the arm of the chair. “I suppose so. And it looks like I’ll have to join you for sundowners.”
“You stick with me,” declared Craig. “Pushing my wheelchair can be your excuse for not having to mingle.”
Thabiti pushed Craig’s wheelchair through a gap in the stone wall, onto a paved flagstone area leading to a kidney-shaped swimming pool. Rose followed and looked around in wonder. Trees, shrubs and the stone wall surrounded the secluded pool area.
At the far end was a small thatched building which she presumed was the pool house containing changing rooms, toilets and showers. As she followed Craig and Thabiti, Rose realised that one side of the pool was open, providing an unrestricted view of Borana Conservancy.
In the dimming light she looked east towards the Nyambeni Hills behind which was Meru National Park.
Pearl, Thabiti’s sister, was talking with a lean looking Indian man who Rose presumed was the yoga instructor, Ajay. Pearl had suffered terrible depression and stopped eating after her mother’s death.
Rose was delighted to see her engaging in yoga and venturing away from home on the retreat. Hopefully this was the first step in her healing process and, perhaps, a step towards independence after being reliant on, and subservient to, her over-protective mother.
The three young women she had seen emerge from Karanja’s car giggled close by, and the American woman was talking loudly and animatedly with a dark-haired man. He turned his handsome face and Rose recognised him as the honeymooning husband who’d disembarked from the same flight as Chris the previous Saturday at Nanyuki airstrip.
She thought his name was Robert and that his young wife was called Nina. Rose looked around and spotted her, partly hidden by a flowering cherry tree, on the far side of the swimming pool, gazing eastwards at the view.
Marina was directing staff as they lit candles in coloured paper bags and turned on the lanterns which hung from some of the stronger tree branches. It created the delightful effect of a fairy glade.
Rose plucked a glass of something sparkling from a waiter’s tray and wandered across to join Nina.
“Hi, I’m Rose. I saw you at Nanyuki Airstrip last Saturday. How was your visit to Ol Pejeta?”
Nina turned to Rose with wide eyes and said in a soft voice, “It was amazing. There were so many animals. I never dreamt I’d ever get a chance to see them all.” She looked across at her husband with parted lips, but quickly looked away, biting her thumbnail.
Frowning, Rose turned towards Robert whose hand was cupping the pert bottom of the American lady. Their heads drew together in what looked like an intimate conversation.
Rose grabbed Nina’s arm and towed her unwillingly across the flagstones to Robert and the American lady. She thrust her hand forward so the couple had to part. “Hello I’m Rose. I was just asking your wife if she is enjoying her honeymoon.”
The American lady blushed and looked away.
“I say,” uttered Robert, “It’s frightfully rude interrupting someone’s private conversation.”
“Well, I think its frightfully rude flirting with another woman when on your honeymoon.”
She heard giggles behind her from the yoga women.
Just then, Marina announced loudly and clearly, “Dinner in ten minutes.”
“I’m going to freshen up,” declared Robert and left the poolside, dragging a shaking Nina with him.
The American lady joined Pearl and Ajay.
Rose pounded across to Craig and Thabiti. Thabiti’s head was turned away. He glanced at her with his hand covering his mouth, but quickly turned away again as he began to shake with laughter.
Rose could feel the warmth in her cheeks and the blood pounding in her chest. Craig grabbed her hand. “Well done, old thing. But I’d rather you didn’t repeat the performance. That man looked very angry, as if he wanted to punish someone. I don’t want that person to be you.”
“Hmm,” murmured Rose as she looked towards the main building with pursed lips. “I’ve learnt my lesson about ignoring bullying husbands. If I see one mark on that poor girl, I will have it out with him.”
Craig tightened his grip. “Steady on.”
Marina appeared beside them, wearing a stunning red satin dress. She grabbed Rose’s arm and pulled her to one side and whispered, “Will you help me with the seating plan? I don’t want to cause any further upset.”
Craig looked up at Thabiti, who had now composed himself. “I think we’ve done our duty. Shall we retire to my room for supper?”