Page 147 of The Sun Sister

Cecily dozed on and off on the journey to Mundui House, shock acting like a drug to dull her senses. When they arrived, Aleeki handed her over to Muratha, who helped her up the stairs and into bed.

Having fastened the shutters, Muratha left. Cecily closed her eyes once more and slept.

Cecily woke with a start and, for a few blissful seconds, didn’t remember what had happened earlier that day. Then, as reality dawned, she climbed out of bed, walked to the window and opened a shutter to see what she now recognised as a soft afternoon sun lighting the perfectly manicured lawn between the fever trees. She turned her back on the view and moved to sit on the end of her bed.

‘What on earth am I to do?’ she whispered, her hands instinctively going to her stomach once more. Was it really possible that one coupling with Julius could have produced a tiny, fledgling life inside her? Perhaps the doctor had been wrong – he couldn’t see inside her, couldn’t prove that she was pregnant, she thought suddenly. Perhaps itwassome form of malaria (which would be infinitely preferable at this stage), or food poisoning, or in factanythingthat wasn’t what he’d said it was.

But Cecily realised from talking to Mamie that she had every symptom there was to have; she’d noticed in the last week that her breasts had become heavier and tingled oddly. That her waist had filled out, which was why her dress last night had been so uncomfortable. Then there was the absence of her monthly since she’d left New York, plus the sickness...

There was a soft tap on her bedroom door.

‘Bwana?You awake?’ Muratha’s bright eyes appeared around the door.

‘Yes, come in.’

‘I get you dressed, then you downstairs for tea with mistress, okay?’

‘I can dress myself, thank you. Tell Kiki I’ll be down in fifteen minutes.’ Cecily was now paranoid about anyone seeing her developing body.

Kiki was waiting for her in the drawing room, a lofty space with a polished wood floor, filled with objets d’art and comfortable armchairs placed in front of a fireplace, which Cecily could not imagine was ever needed.

‘Come in, sweetie, and close the door behind you,’ Kiki said from one of the armchairs. ‘I’m sure we can manage to serve ourselves some tea, can’t we? I guess you’d prefer complete privacy while we have our little chat.’

‘Yes, thank you,’ said Cecily, looking at the tiered silver cake stand, filled with delicate sandwiches, scones and cake. She felt queasy at the sight of them.

‘I’ve had some ginger tea prepared for you. It’s very good for morning sickness. Come sit down.’ Kiki indicated the chair opposite her, then proceeded to pour some pale orange liquid into a bone china cup. ‘Try it; it saved my life when I was pregnant.’

Despite Cecily’s current feelings of misery and shame, it was interesting to hear Kiki talk about that moment in her life. She was aware her godmother had children, who were around the same age as her, yet Kiki almost never mentioned them. She took a tentative sip of the liquid, which burnt her throat as she swallowed, but found she liked the taste.

‘Now, my darling, let’s talk about what is best for you to do.’ Kiki put down her teacup and lit a cigarette. ‘Dare I ask who the father is? The ex-fiancé maybe?’

‘No, he...’ Cecily gulped. ‘I...’

‘Listen to me, Cecily, and listen good. I’ve had many things happen to me in my life, and anything you say to me will not only be in complete confidence, but I will not be shocked. I’ve been around more blocks than most people living in Manhattan will ever walk in their lifetime. And then some. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘So, who is the father?’

‘His name is Julius Woodhead. He’s the nephew of Audrey, Lady Woodhead, Mama’s friend.’

‘Well now, I know Audrey from the old days. She would have done anything to get a coronet on that head of hers,’ Kiki said, rather bitchily. ‘Of course she hated me because...well, I’ll save that story for another time. So you met this Julius while you were staying at Audrey’s house in England?’

‘Yes, he...I, well, I thought that he was in love with me. I was sure in love with him. He told me we’d get engaged and—’

‘Then he seduced you?’

‘Yes. Please, Kiki, don’t tell me I shouldn’t have believed him, that I was being dumb...I know all that now. But at the time, he was so loving and maybe because of my fiancé breaking our engagement off for another woman, I was—’

‘Vulnerable,’ Kiki finished for her. ‘We’ve all been there, Cecily. It’s English men who are so goddamned charming and funny and they manage to entice us into bed with just a whisper of that wonderful accent.’ Kiki sighed. ‘In many ways, I feel responsible. If I’d have been with you at Woodhead Hall, I could have seen the signs and made sure that this didn’t happen. But no matter, it did. Now that I know the facts, which are so very similar to when I was in my own...predicament, we can work out a way forward for you. I guess there is no chance that this Julius will stand by you?’

‘Hah!’ Cecily gave a bitter chuckle. ‘I discovered just before I left that he was engaged to another woman.’

‘Honey, you’re facing this situation alone, but at least you have me, who knows the ropes, so to speak.’ Kiki gave her a wry smile, then stood up. ‘I think this calls for something a little stronger than tea.’ Kiki walked over to a corner cabinet and poured herself a healthy measure of bourbon from a decanter atop it. ‘I’m presuming you don’t want any?’

‘No, thank you.’

‘I guess your mother knows nothing of this relationship with Julius?’