Page 56 of The Sun Sister

‘You know, I think some brandy might be just the thing to warm us all up. Tarquin, would you be so kind?’ Kiki indicated the decanters on the sideboard.

‘Of course,’ Tarquin nodded. ‘One for you too, Cecily?’

‘I...’

‘Oh, come now, brandy is medicinal, especially for a cold, wouldn’t you say, Tarquin?’

‘I most certainly would, yes.’

But maybe not at two thirty in the afternoon, thought Cecily.

‘So, where has your mother flown off to? Warmer climes, I hope?’ Kiki asked.

‘No, actually, she’s gone down to Chicago to visit her mother – that is, my grandmother.’

‘And what a completely ghastly woman Jacqueline is,’ Kiki said, perching herself on the leather-topped fender in front of the fire. ‘Rich as Croesus, of course,’ she added as Tarquin handed both her and Cecily a glass of brandy. ‘She was related to the Whitneys, you know.’

‘Means nothing to me,’ said Tarquin, offering the armchair by the fire to Cecily before sitting down opposite her, while Kiki held court on the fender. ‘Forgive me,’ he continued, ‘I’m afraid I’m not up on who’s who in American society.’

‘Suffice to say that if we were living in England, the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers would be fighting it out for the throne, while the Whitneys would be looking on from the sidelines debating who to back,’ cackled Kiki.

‘So, Cecily’s grandmother is American royalty then?’

‘Oh, absolutely, but isn’t it all just such a charade?’ Kiki said, sighing dramatically as she threw the stub of her cigarette at the fireplace. ‘Now, Cecily, honey, it is such a dreadful shame that your mother isn’t here, for I was going to suggest that she travel back to Kenya with me when I leave the States at the end of the month. And of course, bring you along too. You would love it there; the sky is always blue, the weather is always warm, and the wildlife is simply adorable.’

‘Kiki, I understand you yearn to go back but it’s not quite like that, Cecily,’ interrupted Tarquin. ‘Yes, the sky is blue, but it also rains – goodness, it rains bucket-loads – and the animals can be less adorable if they happen to see you as their lunch.’

‘My darling, that would never happen at Mundui House! Dearest Cecily, you and your mother must come out and see for yourself.’

‘Well, it’s very kind of you, but I doubt very much if Mama would be prepared to leave my sister Mamie until after she has had her baby.’

‘Oh really, women give birth to babies every day in their thousands; even I’ve had three! Just the other week, I was walking to the kitchen at Mundui House to give instructions for a luncheon I was hosting, and found one of my maids squatting on the ground with a baby’s head between her legs. Of course I called for help, but by the time they’d gotten there, the rest of the child had slithered out of her and lay in the dust, squalling loudly while still attached by its cord.’

‘Holy moly!’ said Cecily. ‘And did the baby live?’

‘Of course it did. One of the mother’s relatives cut through the cord, took the baby up in her arms and marched the mother off for a rest. The next day, there she was, back in my kitchen. I think that far too much fuss is made of such things these days. Don’t you, Tarquin?’

‘To be honest, I’ve never thought about it,’ Tarquin replied, looking rather green as he took a swig of his brandy.

‘Anyway, the point is, you and your mother simply must come back with me to Kenya. I leave at the end of January, after I’ve been to see my late husband’s lawyers in Denver, so there’s plenty of time to make the arrangements. Now, where is the restroom?’

‘Oh, just down the corridor to the right.’ Cecily stood up. ‘I’ll show you.’

‘Having navigated my way through the Bush, I think I can just about manage to find my way to your facilities,’ Kiki smiled and swept out of the room.

‘So, Cecily, what have you been up to since we last met?’ Tarquin asked.

‘Oh, not a lot. As I said, I’ve been suffering from a cold.’

‘Well, a visit to Kenya would soon have you on the mend. Does the thought appeal to you?’

‘I honestly don’t know. I mean, I’ve been to Europe, of course, to London and Scotland and Paris and Rome, but they didn’t have lions there. Even if the thought did appeal to me, I just know Mama will never leave Mamie, whatever Kiki says. Are the natives...friendly?’ Cecily asked.

‘Most I’ve encountered, yes. Many of them work for us in the army and Kiki’s Kikuyus are quite devoted to her.’

‘Kikuyus?’

‘They’re the local tribe in Naivasha and the surrounding area.’