Death in Kenya Read Online Free PDF

I can’t look six or seven years older than Eden, can I?’
    â€˜Gilly was tight,’ observed Drew dispassionately.
    He studied her gravely, thinking that Gilly’s estimate of Mrs DeBrett’s age, though ungallant, was understandable. But Drew had seen nerves and shell-shock and sleeplessness before, and recognized the symptoms. He said: ‘You look pretty good to me,’ and smiled.
    He possessed a slow and extraordinarily pleasant smile, and Alice found herself returning it. ‘That’s better,’ approved Drew. ‘You look about seventeen when you smile, not twenty-seven. You should do it more often. Are you and Eden going to this dance at Nakuru on Saturday?’
    He talked trivialities until they reached the plumbago hedge that marked the boundary of the Markhams’ garden, and Alice dismissed him at the gate:
    â€˜I’m not letting you come any further, or you won’t get home before it’s dark. And I’m perfectly safe, thank you. No one is likely to try and murder me between here and the house! Not now, anyway.’
    â€˜Probably not,’ said Drew, ‘but I imagine that it will be some years yet before half the women out here will feel safe without a gun.’
    He watched her walk away across the garden and was conscious of a brief and unexpected flash of sympathy for Eden DeBrett. Not really the type for a settler’s wife, thought Drew. She’ll never stay the course.
    A dry twig cracked in the soft carpet of dust behind him and he turned sharply. But it was only Gilly Markham.
    â€˜Came out for a breath of air,’ explained Gilly morosely. ‘Mabel’s gone off to pick a lettuce or a pineapple or something, and Hector says he’s going to walk home, so Lisa’s locked up the booze. Women are hell.’
    He leaned heavily on the gate, his eyes following the noiseless flight of a bat which swooped and flittered along the pale blossoms of the plumbago hedge, and said with sudden violence: ‘God, what a country! What wouldn’t I give to get out of this god-forsaken, uncivilized, gang-ridden hole! Can’t think how you can stand it.’
    â€˜No reason why you should stand it, Gilly,’ observed Drew without heat.
    â€˜That’s what you think!’ said Gilly sourly. ‘Easy enough for you. But I can’t afford to up-sticks and get the hell out of it. D’you suppose I wouldn’t if I could?’
    Drew said dryly: ‘If you’re getting the same screw as Gus Abbott got, you can’t be doing too badly. By all accounts, Gus left a packet.’
    â€˜Gus didn’t have a wife!’ retorted Gilly bitterly. ‘You don’t know Lisa. If I were making twenty times what I get, Lisa’d spend it. Thinks I don’t know why she’s always buying herself new clothes and having her face and hair fixed. Well I may be a fool, but I’m not such a fool as I look! Take my advice and don’t ever get married, Drew.’
    â€˜I’ll bear it in mind,’ said Drew solemnly. ‘So long, Gilly.’
    â€˜No, don’t go!’ said Gilly urgently. ‘Stay around for a bit. Got the purple willies on me this evening and that’s a fact. Know why people like talking to you, Drew? Well I’ll tell you. It’s because you’re so bloody detached. You don’t give a damn for any of it, do you? But tell anyone else anything, and before you know it it’s all round the Colony. Why can’t they mind their own business?’
    â€˜Why indeed?’ said Drew. ‘Sorry about it, Gilly, but I’ve got to go. It’s late.’
    Gilly ignored the interruption. ‘Hector, fr’instance. Never forgiven Eden for marrying a woman who he doesn’t consider is “The right type for Kenya”. What’s it got to do with him? Anyone would think he’d invented the place! Probably thinks that as soon as Em dies Alice’ll persuade