Whispered Kisses

by Taylor, Janelle

  Leigh wanted to be with her love. She wanted to study both men. And she didn’t want to be stuck in camp all day with those women harassing her with questions. “I want to see everything, so I’m going with you men.”

  She felt Louisa’s cold stare on her, but she didn’t care. Jace and Chad smiled at her. “Tell us about native superstitions. Do tribes really eat blondes for good luck?” she asked, laughing merrily.

  “Some do, I’m sure,” Jace replied after chuckling. “These people believe in witches, too. They’re associated with the night, with hyenas, snakes, and other detested creatures. They’re said to inherit or learn their skills to harm or slay people. Some of the tribes believe the soul—called Kra—of a departed leader lives in a sacred stool, and each successor joins it there at death. No crime is worse than for another tribe to steal one or destroy it, because the souls of past rulers are then lost forever. There’s even a secret society that forces warriors to commit suicide if they abuse their tribal positions. The Kikuyu believe that to spit on a person is a friendly gesture, the highest honor you can receive, a gift of himself. So, if a Kikuyu spits on you, don’t insult him by striking him or wiping it off.”

  “You must be joking,” Louisa scoffed, frowning.

  “Nope, it’s the absolute truth; I swear it. Ask Johi. He’s Kikuyu. Johi is my right arm. He knows this land and these animals better than anyone. A guide would be lost without an assistant like him. He’s one with nature and he has this big map inside his head. He knows what the natives and animals feel and think.”

  Leigh noticed the affection and admiration Jace felt for Wanjohi. She saw the dark-skinned man grin broadly, exposing snow-white teeth and twinkling eyes. Each man was different, yet they were alike in many ways. Each had his own customs and personality, but each respected the other’s. It was apparent they worked well together, and complemented each other. Perhaps Johi would talk more later.

  Leigh also realized how special Jace really was. Clearly being a safari guide took a unique man, one who loved outdoor work, who craved excitement, who loved challenging danger. He was a man who stayed calm in perilous situations. He could endure the worst conditions. He was a skilled tracker and gunman, and he knew how to be a leader. He was smart enough to know how to handle people on hunts. He was well prepared with supplies and with entertaining stories and enlightening facts. He knew how to make people relax, to be careful, to leave his land victorious.

  “Tell us more, Jace,” she encouraged as they dined. “We want to be prepared when we visit that village.”

  Between bites and sips, Jace related more of Masai customs, “Spirits of dead ancestors have to be praised, mentioned, and supplicated regularly. The descendants believe their welfare is affected and controlled by them. Dead chiefs are especially important. Possession of their spirits gives the current ruler power, and it’s said to give the tribe fertility and a sense of well-being. They also believe that spirits of dead warriors inhabit objects and animals, particularly cheetahs. Some tribes won’t kill cheetahs, even if their lives and stock are in jeopardy. We don’t want to offend any of them, so we won’t hunt cheetahs, either. I don’t want any of you to break tribal laws and get snatched during the night for revenge. No treasure, even a jeweled ritual knife, is worth torture and death. Johi and I know this territory, but there are places where we could never locate you. When we visit the Masai village, keep your minds pure and your hands to yourselves. We don’t want trouble.”

  Jace and Chad exchanged a long and silent look. Jace went on. “As with most whites, most natives believe in a remote and omnipotent high god who’s reached by sacrifice, prayer, and ritual.”

  As Leigh captured the hints in Jace’s revelation, the conversation drifted to their hunt today and it was gone over in great detail.

  “After our social call on the Masai,” Reid asked, “what will we hunt for next?”

  “Leopard. There should be some in the forest a few miles away.” When Jace noticed how much the men and two women were drinking, he cautioned, “Don’t forget, no drinking on the trail. It dulls wits and reflexes. It also makes the sun seem hotter. You’ll sweat more and could pass out. Drink only in camp, and not too much.”

  “I think we’re being scolded for excess,” Louisa teased.

  In a pleasant tone, Jace remarked, “I don’t care what you do in London or Mombasa, Miss Jennings. But out here, I’m responsible for all of you. I know what’s best, so you have to obey my rules.”

  Chad locked gazes with his old friend and nodded. “Jace is right, Louisa. The jungle is a dangerous place. If we don’t do as he orders, we can get into big trouble. Believe me, I know.”

  Louisa caught a clue in the men’s expressions and moods, and asked, “What do you mean, Chad?”

  Chad glanced at the redhead, then at the alert Leigh. “It’s one of those memories I’d like to forget. It was a long time ago, and I was reckless and greedy, a young man seeking the wrong challenge and adventure to prove his prowess.”

  “Like you were today, my love,” the woman jested in return. “We have plenty of time to get your trophies, so don’t get greedy and take any more risks like that. I was terrified.”

  “Next time, keep quiet. You had that rhino charging all of you. If I hadn’t turned him, one of you women could have been gored.”

  Louisa pouted sultrily and commented, “I wasn’t the only one who screamed. Cynthia and Leigh did, too. We were scared and taken by surprise. We’ll do better next time. Won’t we, ladies?”

  “It broke the tension and gave us experience, Chad. We’ll be fine from now on,” Leigh concurred with her self-appointed rival.

  Talk continued for a while, then everyone parted for the night.

  In her tent, Leigh mused on what she had learned today. She was glad the two men were getting along. If they did patch up their torn friendship, she and Jace would be free to drop their secrecy. She missed him terribly. She was with him every day, but it wasn’t the same; their closeness was absent. She longed to spend the night together again, but it was too hazardous.

  In Jace’s tent, Johi revealed the news about Leigh’s weapon. The guide asked, “How did it get unloaded? You always check the guns when we return to camp. Did you see anything suspicious?”

  A man of few words, Wanjohi responded, “No. She does not hunt or kill. It is dangerous.”

  “I’m sure Leigh didn’t remove the cartridges. Somebody tampered with her gun. Sharpen your eyes even more, Johi. I don’t like this.”

  “She was in no danger. We are good shots.”

  “We know that, but someone else doesn’t.”

  “She fired in practice last night,” the black-eyed man added. “Perhaps she did not reload. I saw no one with her weapon.”

  “I forgot about practice after we reassigned weapons. I guess you’re right, Johi. I won’t mention her carelessness to her, but from now on, I’ll remind everyone to reload after shooting.”

  “That is wise.”

  Louisa strolled around the camp after the others had left for the day. Chad’s rhino head had been placed in a boat, covered to avoid attracting heavenly scavengers, and sent back to Mombasa for preservation by a man there. She stared before her. The bright sun seemed to incredibly whiten the snows atop the distant Kilimanjaro. Every morning, they all stared at the awesome sight and wished they could visit it. The base of the towering mountain always looked periwinkle in the early-morning and late evening haze. The sky was a clear blue, and the jungle before it was a lush green. “It’s really very beautiful, Cynthia. It reeks of power and danger.”

  “Since when do you enjoy admiring scenery?” the woman jested. “That’s all little Leigh does, gush over every sight and sound.”

  “We’re here, so we may as well enjoy something. Let’s walk to that water hole and talk. The servants can’t see or hear us from there. I have something for you to do.”

  The two women took their weapons for protection and excused themselves from camp. The
bearers left behind were either off on their own or busy with chores. At present, some were doing the party’s laundry in the river, leaving only two men in the camp.

  At the waterhole, Louisa found a spot where tall grass and scrubs concealed it from the campsite. No animals were about this time of day or with the clear river nearby for drinking. Louisa stripped.

  “What are you doing?” Cynthia asked with wide eyes.

  “Going swimming. It’s already hot this early. I’m miserable, and the men are at the river.”

  “It’s dangerous,” the brunette warned.

  “Not with you standing guard. Is your weapon loaded? That was very clever, how you removed Leigh’s bullets the other night. Too bad it gained us nothing. I wish that rhino had attacked her.”

  “Thank you, but I meant that, Jace said the water is unhealthy.”

  “That’s just Great White Hunter talk, scare tactics to keep us under control. Just like those bitter tablets. I can’t stand them.”

  Cynthia was worried. “You’re taking them, aren’t you?”

  “When I’m in the mood to punish myself, which is rare.”

  “Louisa, you’re being foolish. Please obey the rules.”

  “I do, but my own. Relax, I’ll be fine.” She wadded into the mucky water and took a short swim. After, she let the hot sun dry her flesh before pulling on her clothes. “That’s better. Now, listen carefully. Here’s what I want you to do.”

  In Cynthia’s tent later, Louisa giggled and said, “You distracted them perfectly, my dear friend and accomplice.”

  “Yes, but I got scratched up tangling myself in that underbrush. Of course, they never located that necklace I supposedly lost. Did you find anything important?”

  “I didn’t search Jace’s tent. He’s too smart and could tell if I went through his things. No matter. I found what I needed in Leigh’s tent, and Chad’s. I never could look with them around all the time.”

  “Well?” Cynthia prompted as the woman tended her injuries.

  Louisa stopped removing thorn tips and dabbing on balm to reply, “I found plenty, more than I expected. Chad had his contract hidden well, but I located it. The sorry bastard,” she muttered, then revealed its contents to her astonished friend.

  “So there is more to their wager than he led you to believe.”

  “He certainly stands to lose more than money,” she scoffed in bitterness. “There is no way he’ll allow Jace to win and take everything. That means my treacherous lover has to get Leigh, not just prevent Jace from doing so. This isn’t a game or a joke, Cynthia.”

  “But Reid assured me Chad wants you, not Leigh.”

  “He lied, just like Chad lied. They’re in this sport together.”

  “I don’t understand. Why would Chad bring you along and sleep with you beneath Leigh’s nose if he wants her? That’s crazy.”

  “I’m confused about that point, too. I’m certain Leigh would have come with him, even if you and I weren’t along. I wonder what he needs with me.”

  “To distract Jace?” Cynthia suggested.

  “No woman could distract Jace with a wager like that at stake. Perhaps there’s something we don’t know about Webster’s will. Perhaps Chad and his mother won’t inherit if anything happens to Leigh. Perhaps the only way Chad can get anything is to marry that little witch.”

  “But Leigh is William’s only heir,” the brunette reasoned. “As his widow, Fiona would have to inherit, and Chad would get it later.”

  “Not if William has an illigitimate heir somewhere, or he left everything to a friend. The old man was sly, and he might have caught on to Chad’s evil before he died. You have to admit, my lover has been acting strangely since the old man’s death and Leigh’s arrival.”

  “If Chad can’t inherit, he’s worthless to you.”

  “Not if I let him get Leigh first, then get rid of her.”

  “You can’t be serious! Help your lover win another woman?”

  “If that’s the only way to succeed, I have no choice.”

  “We don’t have time for more games, Louisa. After we get home, neither of us can conceal our dire straits much longer.”

  “We can do it long enough for Chad to get his hands on that fortune. We’ve come too far and done too many things to lose now.”

  “But what if you help him win Leigh and you’re wrong?”

  “That’s a chance I might have to take. I haven’t decided yet. This information is too fresh. I have to give it more study. For now, we have to quell this romance between Leigh and Jace.” Louisa revealed what she had discovered in Leigh’s tent: the contract with Jace.

  Cynthia was shocked. “You mean their wager is a farce? It isn’t for one thousand pounds as Chad thinks? She actually bet one night with him against his plantation? How could any man risk so much to spend a night between her legs? How does she plan to find time to make her payment, especially if he wins more than one night?”

  “Obviously little Leigh isn’t as pure and innocent as I imagined. We know she can’t win his plantation. I think she wants to lose to him. That gives her a reason to justify yielding her maidenhead to him. You know how prim virgins are; they have to pretend that surrender isn’t their idea. That’s why she agreed to all those silly rules.” Louisa gave her friend a brief summation of the rules in the contract. “No doubt she’ll find ways to break rules one and two and pay him along the trail, because it won’t be possible to pay him later. We’re sailing as soon as this safari ends. Of course she wouldn’t break rule three because she could never pay off that loss. Chad would never let her out of his sight for a year. She probably wants to enjoy Jace here, then work on Chad back home. The greedy bitch!”

  “What if she’s fallen for Jace Elliott and hopes he’ll marry her after she gives him her virginity?” Cynthia speculated.

  “She’s not that crazy. Jace is a criminal in exile.”

  “If Chad has to win her and can’t, we’re all, except those two, losers.”

  “Until I decide what to do, we’ll have to make certain Leigh earns more points than Jace. That should worry and distract our guide.”

  “What if you tell Chad about their secret deal? He’ll yank her home so fast her head will spin for weeks.”

  “No. I don’t want him to panic and mess up things. If he was really worried about Jace winning, he would be pursuing Leigh more energetically. Part of what Chad said must be true; his little wager was to provoke Jace into working for him. I think he’s after Jace for revenge. If our guide gets killed, Jace isn’t a threat to Chad’s plans for Leigh. It’s clever, get rid of his foe and get the girl.”

  “Of course, that must be his plan. He’s so devious and cunning.”

  “Not as much as we are, Cynthia. For now, we’ll be very generous and help Chad, without his knowledge naturally. Until we know more, we have to keep Leigh and Jace apart.”

  “You want me to have a fight with Reid and move in with her?” Cynthia suggested.

  “That’s too obvious and suspicious. We’ll just keep them on edge and in doubt. I’ll work on Jace; you work on Leigh. Maybe Chad will let something slip. I’ll keep a sharp eye and ear on him. If Chad has to win Leigh to become Webster’s heir, I must know soon, as that would change my plan. If not …”

  “But what about the other part of Chad’s bet with Jace? The part about winning five thousand dollars each time they sleep with Leigh? Surely one or both men will try to collect on it, many times.”

  “I’m surprised Jace Elliott let Chad include such a lowdown term. Obviously Jace isn’t as honest and honorable as we thought.”

  “If Leigh’s as hungry and eager as it appears from her wager, one of those men could earn a lot of extra money if he’s clever.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The first sight of the Manyatta, the Masai village, was a surprise. It was surrounded by a fence that looked like a giant circle of tangled thornbushes, and was twelve feet high. Jace explained that it was called an engang
and its purpose was to keep out lions and to keep in their cattle.

  Once inside, Leigh saw numerous huts with flat tops and made of earth and dung. The dung was thickened and strengthened with straw, and plastered to a round framework of strong branches. The odor was strong but not unbearable. Groups of cattle were everywhere, having been brought inside for the night. Young boys tended the “supreme providers” with great care, even with affection and respect.

  The Masai depended on cattle for meat and blood and milk. They halted to watch several men at work with a cow. A leather thong was tied around its neck, and it was held motionless. One man knelt and fired a blocked arrow into the animal’s jugular vein. Blood was caught in a gord. Some of the men drank the red liquid hot from the task. Others mixed it with milk, then consumed it. Leigh noticed how the bleeding halted immediately. The cow seemed unhurt, and not the least troubled by the deed, but she felt a little nauseated.

  Jace had told them many things about this nomadic tribe of lion-killing spearmen. They settled in an area as long as the grazing was good, then moved on when it wasn’t. They never camped near waterholes, because the earth was trampled and barren, and predators were a threat. Water was hauled by women to camp, and none was wasted, not even for bathing and drinking. That was done at rivers.

  Flies were numerous and busy inside the enclosure. But Masai did not kill them or even shoo them away, believing spirits of ancestors could inhabit all living things. Their god was called Enkai, and the lives of these drinkers of blood were filled with rituals and customs.

  Until his middle teens, a Masai boy tends the herd, while the girls milk cows and serve as the warrior’s concubines. Between sixteen and twenty, a boy is circumcised in a grand ceremony. During this training period he is given warrior raiment and weapons, and his head is shaved. A few years later, he becomes a full warrior. Only then can he marry and grow hair to be braided into a certain style.

  The Masai warriors—moran—were very tall and slender, a handsome race with sharp and bold features. The garb of some consisted of animal skins draped toga-style; others wore a cloth wrapped around their hips. Their hair was plaited in an elaborate style, its top held against the forehead with a cord beneath the chin. The black hair was heavily greased with animal fat and dusted with red ochre. Their storklike legs were decorated with designs running from groin to ankle by scratched mud. Most of them had simple beaded bands around their necks, wrists, and ankles. Their bodies displayed a reddish-orange cast from the ochre mud smeared and dried there. Most had large loops in earlobes stretched to an amazing size.