Shifting Sands Read Online Free PDF Page A

she’d been seamlessly incorporated into their party, and they all took it for granted that, back at the hotel, she’d sit at their table for dinner. What a difference a day makes! she thought whimsically.
    In fact, it set the pattern for those that followed, and Anna’s reservations about the holiday fell away, freeing her to enjoy the daily wonders of landscape and animals. In view of the number of miles to be covered, early starts were the norm, but as a habitual early riser, they didn’t bother her.
    Each evening she wrote her diary, transcribing and enlarging on notes made during the day to record its events in more detail: a visit to an ostrich farm, where they’d watched feather dusters being made, hand-fed the birds, and taken it in turns to stand on the eggs – ( we were told an ostrich’s brain would fit in a teaspoon! she wrote); the mysteriously beautiful Cango Caves; the thrill of stroking a semi-tame cheetah and hearing it purr.
    Throughout these crowded, exciting days, the members of the group came to know each other quite well, the ephemeral nature of their friendship allowing more openness than would have been the case at home. Even Jean, whom they’d originally been wary of, grew progressively less strident and, as a result, more agreeable.
    As the week went on, Lewis began to alternate with Wendy in sitting next to Anna on the coach trips. He was an interesting and knowledgeable companion, but she quickly learned that he had a short fuse if anything went wrong – an extra-long wait for the coach, a dish at dinner that wasn’t up to standard.
    One evening, when she and Wendy were waiting for the men to bring drinks from the bar, Anna asked casually, ‘How long have you and George known Lewis?’
    â€˜Oh, donkey’s years,’ she replied. ‘He and George met at university, and he was best man at our wedding.’
    â€˜He’s mentioned his children, but not his wife,’ Anna said tentatively.
    Wendy grimaced. ‘Par for the course. They’ve been divorced for years now, but it was a wonder they stuck it as long as they did. Talk about opposites attracting! Granted, Lewis wouldn’t be the easiest person to live with, but Myrtle was impossible.’ She glanced at Anna. ‘You might have heard of her – Myrtle Page? She was one of the top models of the seventies.’
    Anna had a vague memory of an ultra-thin woman in out-rageous clothes on the cover of Vogue .
    â€˜Of course, she’s not done any modelling for years,’ Wendy continued, ‘but she still hits the headlines pretty regularly and makes life difficult for him. As if he’s not got enough on his plate.’
    â€˜Such as?’ Anna asked carefully, monitoring the progress of the men in the bar queue.
    â€˜Oh, business worries, as always. He’s a complete workaholic, to such an extent that we became quite worried about him. He’s not as tough as he thinks, so we scooped him up and insisted he came away with us. God knows when he last had a holiday.’
    â€˜I gather he’s involved with some sort of hotel?’
    Wendy gave a short laugh. ‘Is that what he implied? Not quite accurate, but at least he’s sticking to our rule of no business talk.’
    â€˜So what does he do?’ Anna asked curiously.
    â€˜Only owns the Mandelyns Health Resorts Group.’
    â€˜ Owns it? You mean those luxury health spas?’ Anna stared at her in amazement.
    â€˜Yep. He started way back by opening a series of health clubs, and gradually expanded into spas. They have three now, and another in the offing, I gather, but it’s thirty years since he opened the first one, and celebrations are planned for later in the year. Myrtle was the face of their Lasting Youth line for years.’
    â€˜Good heavens!’ Anna sat back to digest the news. ‘Didn’t they have some breakthrough new treatment a few months ago? I seem