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love him,” he said quietly.
    Jude had just reached for another piece of toast, but she dropped her hand into her lap. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”
    “Yes, you do. You want to marry someone who won’t challenge how you feel about Stephen. You’ve kissed Anthony, you’ve even bedded him, and it hasn’t affected you at all. That’s why you want to marry him. Because you can be his wife and Stephen’s too. It’s emotional bigamy.”
    This time she did throw a plate before stalking off, calling to the dogs as she did so.
    “I shouldn’t have said that,” he said heavily.
    Tusker shrugged. “It is the truth. Any imbecile could see she’s still in love with Stephen. But she has to be handled carefully. She can’t be allowed to marry this Wickenden person. What if Stephen comes home?”
    Ryder didn’t point out it had been four years with no word and that Stephen would never come home again.
    Tusker’s expression was mulish. “You think I’m an old fool. Don’t deny it. I can see it in your face.”
    Ryder shook his head. “Not a fool. Just mistaken. If Stephen were still alive, he would have come home by now. Nothing but death would have kept him away from her.”
    She sighed. “A thousand things could have kept him—for God’s sake, there was a war on! He could be lost, hurt, thousands of miles from home.”
    Ryder covered her hand with his own. “Tusker,” he said, gentling his voice, “the war is done with. Everyone who was coming home is already here. I don’t know if Jude can make a go of it with Wickenden, but she deserves a chance to be happy.”
    Tusker’s eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you the one who just accused her of wanting him because he wouldn’t challenge her feelings for Stephen?”
    “I just don’t want to see her spending her life pining. She needs to bury her dead,” he said flatly. “We all do.”
    She shook her head. “It was stupid of me to send her into Nairobi. I thought she deserved a little fun. I never expected this.”
    “It will be alright, Tusker,” he assured her.
    But her expression was implacable. “It will never be alright until Stephen comes home.” She took a deep breath. “But I don’t want to quarrel with you, boy. So tell me about this Mademoiselle instead. Is she blond or brunette? Your last was a redhead and I know you like variety.”

Chapter Four
    As they had when they were children, Jude and Ryder made up their quarrel without ever speaking of it. He made preparations for his safari and she appeared the morning he was due to set off, fully packed with her weapons oiled and loaded.
    “I told the porters to bring a separate bath tent. I thought Mademoiselle Gautier would appreciate the privacy,” she told him casually. “And I thought she might like to have another woman along. The bush is no place for a lady alone.”
    “Thank you,” he returned. “Although I suspect Mademoiselle is the sort of woman who isn’t very popular with her own sex.”
    Jude grinned at him then, and just like that, they were friends again. Ryder hesitated.
    “You can bring Wickenden if you like. An extra gun is always welcome.”
    She twisted her heavy hair back and shoved a thorn twig into it to hold it in place. “I don’t think so. It will do him good to miss me. Absence and the fond heart and all that.”
    Together they paid a visit to Ryder’s duka to stock up on supplies for the trip. Mr. Patel, the manager, bustled around, ordering his sons and his plump, slow wife to stack and carry as he ticked items off the list.
    “I have plenty of drink, sahib , but the grouse paste did not come, and neither did the caviar.”
    Jude snickered at Ryder. “Oh, you are laying it on thick. I thought this was a hunting trip.”
    Ryder shrugged. “Rich clients expect the best. If I can keep them well-fed and watered, they’re less likely to ride me about everything else.”
    Mr. Patel emerged from the back room of the duka , beaming as he carried a few