Softly Calls the Serengeti Read Online Free PDF

was the correct answer to both possibilities.
    â€˜Going to Kenya. Alone. You surprise me, Charlotte.’
    â€˜There are a number of things about me that would surprise you, Bradley. Unfortunately, you’ve never tried to discover them.’
    He’d given her his usual smile, partly condescending, partly amused, and then stood with her parents to wave her off. He was so unaware of her passions, her fears, so oblivious to her true personality, that it made her feel sad for him. Bradley the corporate lawyer, the indifferent lover, had no idea what had gone wrong with their relationship.
    Inside the departure lounge, out of sight of Bradley and her family, she’d wept, not knowing why.
    Now, looking out the window, her sadness was replaced by aflutter of excitement. Below and to the left of the plane, the Mediterranean glistened like mercury on a platter. In spite of her apprehensions, she couldn’t wait to see Kenya for the first time. Ahead, the rugged Atlas Mountains were visible—the gateway to an adventure that made her spine tingle with anticipation.
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    An elderly man with closely cut speckled black and grey hair came smiling from his office to introduce himself to Charlotte. ‘I’m Paul Gilanga,’ he said.
    â€˜Dr Gilanga,’ she replied, taking his hand. ‘Charlotte Manning. Pleased to meet you.’
    She meant it. She and the director of the Institute of Primate Research had only been in contact by email so far, but even through that most impersonal of media she had felt his warmth. In person, he confirmed it.
    â€˜Please, come in,’ he extended a hand towards his office, ‘I have the kettle on. It’s time for tea, don’t you think?’
    His office was cluttered with books, stacks of papers and magazines. On top of a four-drawer filing cabinet was a skull—a primate of some kind. He cleared a pile of papers from a chair and invited her to sit.
    â€˜Tea or coffee?’ he asked.
    â€˜Black tea, please.’
    â€˜And how is my good friend Professor Hornsby?’ he said as he fussed with the crockery.
    She brought him up to date with her tutor’s activities and news of the department in Oxford where Gilanga had studied. He and Professor Hornsby had been friends ever since, and now Dr Gilanga was going to manage Charlotte’s bursary, which was funded by Professor Hornsby’s department.
    â€˜How is your accommodation situation, my dear?’ Dr Gilanga asked her when she had finished her update.
    â€˜Very comfortable, thank you.’
    He handed her a cup of tea. ‘Excellent! Now, before we get into discussing your work, this is your first visit to our country. What are you planning to do about seeing Kenya?’
    â€˜I…I hadn’t given it much thought. I suppose I’ll be seeing some of it on my field trips.’
    â€˜Undoubtedly. But that’s not the best part. You and Mr Wainscote must spend some time in our national parks. There’s so much more to Kenya than the villages, towns and cities. Go to any one of our wildlife reserves and you’ll see the real Africa. Amboseli is quite close. Then there are places like the Masai Mara. Superb! You may even like to travel a little further into Tanzania. The Serengeti is simply magnificent.’
    This was Charlotte’s chance to tell Dr Gilanga that she and Bradley were not travelling together, as had been the original plan, but she was embarrassed about the lie she’d told Professor Hornsby. Now she had to keep quiet and hope that the truth didn’t emerge.
    â€˜If you do want to go to the Serengeti,’ Dr Gilanga went on, ‘I will call my son-in-law, who is the head game warden there. He will show you around.’
    â€˜Thank you, Dr Gilanga, that’s very kind of you.’
    â€˜And now, about your immediate tasks.’
    Dr Gilanga had already sent her a list of resources, which they discussed. They agreed that the