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. No, it s just bad luck the lions dragged the body away where it couldn t be found.You needn t worry, Rollie.He s dead all right. Cold anger curled in Roy s gut as he remembered the whip marks on Ash sskin, the broken ribs, and his own suspicion that Ash was lucky to have survived. That is what you wanted, I suppose? For the first time, Gerald soundedunsure. & a poltroon all his life, Ger. Roy missed the first part of the reply. A curI d have best put down when I had the chance.Weak as milk, like the bitch thatbore him.I d have sooner had no heir than one so paltry. Roy frowned in confusion. Dear brother& Gerald hesitated, and Roy listened intently. I have beenmeaning to ask: was it perhaps the wisest course of action, bringing the boy backhere? After what happened last time, I mean. You ve seen him, Ger.Did he look like anything the Haywood line wouldproduce? He s weedy and thin and has an uncommon, queer way about him.Thisrefusal to ride to hounds.It had to be stopped, Gerald, that s what.That s the wholereason I brought him out here.If Africa put the madness in him, it can jolly welltake it back out again! What madness? I m not sure I follow, old chap, Gerald Haywood answered. Ash wandered off; his mother followed and managed to find him, brought him back.This wholeidea you have that somewhere along the way he was changed, that he became somesort of Damn and blast! Sir Roland roared. Too long have we Haywoods borne thecurse of that woman s wretched, impure wickedness, and as far as I m concerned,once we ve taken the bloody lion that took Ashcroft, that s an end of it.Do you hearme, Gerald? An end of it.I ll be off on the next boat home, and you and the rest ofthis godforsaken place can do what you like! Roy reeled, unable to believe what he was hearing. I quite think, Gerald Haywood said slowly, that perhaps I shouldaccompany you back to Southampton, Rollie.I think you might be in need of moreassistance than you realize. There was the sound of something heavy being dashed to the ground. Blastyou and blast your bloody assistance! Where were you when I needed assistancewith Elizabeth? Answer that! Where were you? Off on one of your bloody safaris!Out in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilization, completely unreachable,leaving me to deal with the whole situation with nary a lick of support. You know, Gerald said quietly, I never quite bought the story of the ridingaccident.Elizabeth was one hell of a horsewoman. He paused for a moment. Youkilled her, didn t you, Rollie? Roy s blood ran cold. Rollie, I think perhaps it s time we went home. I ll not set foot in Thornside till I have that blasted lion s head to take backwith me! I will have something to show for my troubles, Ger, or my name s notRoland Atworth Haywood! Dear brother, please.Calm yourself.The sun out here, sometimes it hasthis Roy heard a bellow like a bull elephant; then Sir Roland launched himself athis brother, and the two men tumbled to the dirt, a mass of rolling, splutteringimperial dysfunction.Roy took two steps toward the embattled Haywoods, then froze, hearing alow, bloodcurdling snarl.He turned slowly.Mere yards away stood a lion.And not just any lion.Roy stared.The animal was pale gold, its mane luxurious and shaggy butneither dark nor long.It was a young beast, and Roy was certain it was the samelion he had seen so recently in the clearing.And now, with the taste of his lover sskin still on his tongue, Roy was willing to bet his life on the lion being his belovedAsh.It s true, Roy thought, staring at the lion.It s all true.The storm, Ash smother, Mambokadzi s story.The land claims its own. He had no idea how it was possible, but the lion in front of him was AshHaywood.It stood its ground, staring at Roy, then lifted its lip and snarled again.Roystood frozen to the spot.The lion abruptly swung away.With a ferocious growl, it bounded past thetent and into the middle of the natives the Haywoods had brought with them.Itoverturned the pot on the fire, sending them all scuttling backward, shouting andyelling.Gerald Haywood swore loudly, and Ash s father shouted somethingincomprehensible.A rifle barked, but the big cat didn t flinch.It stopped, facing thetent, and roared loud and long, then bounded into the long veldt grass, disappearingentirely.The camp was in an uproar.Gerald s bullwhip cracked, and natives screamed, running about pell-mellwhile his brother shouted angrily.Roy drew back slowly, putting more distancebetween himself and the camp.It was the strangest encounter of Roy s life.The lion had snarled at him as ifto get his attention, then leaped into the camp& almost as though it was tauntingHaywood and his brother.Roy took a deep breath.And this time, he d noticedsomething else.The young lion had brilliant blue eyes.Roy turned to look at the mopane trees behind him.There was no sign of Ash,but then he hadn t really expected there to be.Haywood s party headed off in the direction the lion had taken.Less than ahundred yards away the group came to a halt, milling about like lost sheep.Roy narrowed his eyes against the lowering sun, watching.It seemed thenatives had lost the lion s tracks, something that seemed incomprehensible.Although he couldn t help remembering the traces of the lion he had found on thetrail and the absence of any tracks at all.But trackless or not, the lion was Ash, and Haywood was too close.Squaringhis shoulders, Roy walked out onto the veldt, headed for the Thornside party
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Tematy
IndexGriffin Kate Matthew Swift 03 Neonowy dwór
Griffin Kate Matthew Swift 04 The Minority Council
Andrews Ilona Kate Daniels 04 Magia Krwawi(1)
Andrews Ilona Kate Daniels 04 Magia Krwawi
Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels 04 Magia Krwawi
Griffin Kate Matthew Swift 02 Nocny Burmistrz
Atkinson Kate Jackson Brodie 02 Przysluga
Hartzmark Gini Kate Millholland 1 Linia obrony
Huragan nad cukrem
McNaught Judith Szepty w Âświetle księżyca