Page 88 of In the Heat of the Jungle

Leigh stripped off the dirty garments. She removed her walking boots. Her eyes noticed the bandage. She removed it, staring at the clever wound and wondering again how and why Jace had faked the snakebite. She couldn’t wait to hear his explanation.

The slender female climbed into the sun-heated water. It felt wonderful. She leaned back and relaxed. Leigh didn’t know what kind of house she had expected Jace Elliott to have, but it certainly wasn’t one this beautiful and efficient. What a surprising man he was.

After a time, Leigh took the washcloth and soap. As she lathered it, she realized the bar had a floral scent. Her brows lifted, and she smiled. After bathing her body and scrubbing her hair, she rinsed the tawny locks beneath the fill pipe.

Leigh stepped out of the tub. She dried herself and wrapped the large cloth about her. The polite girl bent forward and washed out the tub, being careful to plug the drain securely.

Her blue gaze touched on the medicine and a fresh bandage that Abena had placed on the sink. Suspicion and anger filled Leigh again. It was obvious Jace had planned this ruse from the start, and Abena knew all about it, else she would not have lain out such items.

As Leigh jerked a robe from a hook, she was shocked to discover it was one of her own, left behind in Mombasa. She donned it and went to find that sneaky housekeeper. “Where did this come from?”

Abena turned, looked at the robe whose front the girl was holding between her fingers. “Bwana Jace sent for you. Have many things in your room. I show you.”

“How did you know about this?” Leigh asked, lifting the robe and pointing to her injured leg. “Bwana Jace did that to me.”

Abena frowned, creating creases on her forehead and between her brows. “Jomo say Bibi Leigh hurt.”

“Listen to me, Abena,” Leigh demanded, then explained how she had been drugged and brought here. “I know that looks like a snakebite, but I wasn’t bitten by anything. It’s a trick. How can you defend a criminal and help him commit such a wicked crime?”

“I obey Bwana Jace. Come, I show you room.” The woman left the kitchen with Leigh trailing behind.

There were four doors along the hallway. The woman guided Leigh to the third one, a bedroom.

“You stay here. Bwana Jace’s room next; it locked. Office locked. I be in kitchen.” The now-reserved African left her there.

Leigh fumed at the woman’s stubborn behavior and her own mistake. She peeked out the door and heard noises from the kitchen. She checked Jace’s bedroom and office doors; they were indeed locked. The vexed blonde returned to the guest room and closed the door; it would not lock without a key. She looked through the drawers and closet, stunned to find them filled with her own possessions.

“Is there no end to your boldness, Mr. Elliott? How did you get these away from the hotel? How will you explain their absence?” Reality engulfed Leigh. “You planned this abduction from the start. All the time you were romancing me, you were waiting to kidnap me. Damn you! You were lying and cheating the whole time. You were going to make certain I lost our bet and paid off immediately. You dirty, rotten bastard. You won’t get away with this.”

~*~

Three days later, Jace and the safari party reached the Athi River. Two flat-decked boats were awaiting them, along with the men sent ahead to hail the cargo carriers.

One captain waved, smiled, and shouted, “Good to see you, Jace. You got trouble and need a lift?”

Jace went forward and shook his hand. “We lost a member of the safari to a bush-snakebite. The others don’t want to continue. We only had a couple of weeks to go. Thanks for waiting, Daniel.”

“That’s too bad, but it happens. These English don’t realize how dangerous the jungle is. They think it’s all fun and games. They come here dressed and prepared for a tea party or afternoon stroll.” Daniel hushed as Chad joined them and was introduced.

Jace looked sad as he informed the captain, “Leigh was his ward and niece. She was twenty, beautiful and enchanting. We didn’t find her in time to give any help.”

“Wouldn’t have done any good if you had,” Daniel replied. “Bush snakes are deadly. We’ll get you loaded and push off.”

“I’ll pay you in Mombasa.”

“No charge, friend. You’ve done plenty of favors.”

The extra bearers, those not needed for the last trek between river and train, were dismissed to head home. Jace’s men trusted him and knew he would send their payment after he received his at the end of every journey. The baggage and passengers were put aboard the two boats and off they went. The river was high because of recent rains, so they made good time.

Jace sat cross-legged on the deck. He leaned his head against a support post and pretended to close his eyes but watched the others through narrow slits. Johi and the bearers were on the second boat; the two couples were with him. Everyone was silent and almost sullen. Chad drank heavily, and Reid stayed wrapped over the man like a cloak. Louisa and Cynthia kept to themselves, whispering and scowling.

To Jace, the redhead seemed to have given up on her pursuit of Chad. At first she had tried to repair the damaged relationship, but Chad had scorned and avoided the female as if she were a noxious disease. Observing the gleams of hatred and revenge in Louisa’s eyes, Jace was glad he wasn’t in Chad’s place.

Jace hoped the couples would relax and open up during the trip downriver. As it was perilous to travel at night, they would make camp each day at dusk. With others around, especially the amiable Daniel, perhaps the hunting party would settle down.

Jace thought about Leigh Webster ensconced at his home. He could hardly wait to confront her, to force the truth from those lovely and lying lips. He had to extract the secret she and Chad were withholding from him. No doubt the devious and delightful creature was plenty scared. That was good, he decided. It would make his impending task of extracting information easier.

Yet these days of separation had worked hard on him. Jace dreamed about her at night and thought about her all day. He couldn’t forget how Leigh looked at him, how she held him and kissed him, how she made love to him. She did not do those things like a guileful woman. No matter her secrets and original plans, the woman seemed to love him. He couldn’t get their last night together off his mind. She had been passionate but troubled. She had confessed to how much she wanted him. She had hinted at problems to be resolved later. Yet she had made love to him as if it were their last time. Something had her confused, frightened, and tightlipped. He had to unravel that mystery soon.

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