It sniffed the thorn leaves that gave them such flimsy shelter and its breath rattled the branches and blew into their faces.
Then abruptly and unexpectedly, the bull switched around and presented them, at a range of only a few feet, with its fat rounded hindquarters.
They stared in horror as its penis unsheathed from between its back legs.
We are on his boundary, Daniel breathed. He's going to mark this bush!
Us!
It pointed at them like a pink fire-hose.
We're trapped, Bonny wailed. The thorns hemmed them in. What can we do?
Just close your eyes, and think of England. A steaming cloud engulfed them, blowing over them with the force of a tropical hurricane, not a simple jet but a storm of scalding liquid that sent Daniel's bush hat flying from his head and soaked them both to the skin. The bull wriggled his tail with satisfaction, stamped his back feet and then charged away with the same impetuosity with which he had arrived.
Daniel and Bonny sat under the dripping thorn bush and stared at each other in horror. Their faces were running wet as though they had stood out in the monsoon rain and the dour was overpowering.
Daniel moved first. He wiped his face with the palm of his hand, a slow theatrical gesture beginning at the top of his forehead and ending at his chin. Then he inspected his hand. Now that he said in a sepulchral tone, really pisses me off !
For a moment Bonny continued to stare at him, and then she let out a shriek of wild mirth and they fell against each other and laughed.
Clinging together, sodden and stinking, they laughed until they couldn't stand up, and then they laughed some more. Rhino urine had lacquered their hair into sticky dreadlocks, and stained their clothing with interesting patterns.
They sneaked into the Norfolk Hotel through the rear entrance behind the kitchens and fled across the lawns to their cottage suite, where they stood under the shower for twenty minutes and, still giggling, shampooed and soaped each other until their bodies glowed.
Later, in a towelling bathrobe, Daniel sat in front of the television set while Bonny connected up her equipment.
He gave all his attention to the screen and, from the first minute, knew that he had made the right choice in hiring Bonny Mahon. Her technique was of superbly professional quality, and she had a fine eye and sense of timing. She knew when she needed to be close in and when to pull back, but more important, and infinitely rarer, she had a distinctive style, the style that he had first recognized in her Arctic film.
You're good, he told her when the screen went blank. You're damn good.
You don't know how good, she grinned at him. I'm only just starting to get the feel of the light here. It's different, you know. Each place is different. Give me another week and I'll show you just how good I am.
An hour later, dressed in clean clothing, they sauntered across the courtyard in the coot Kenyan dusk and stopped for a minute beside the aviary of wild birds in the centre of the lawn to admire the brilliant colours of the turacos and the goldbreasted starlings behind the wire.
Other guests were also drifting in the direction of the grill room.
Daniel had paid no attention to the small figure standing near them, until she turned towards him and greeted him by name. Please forgive the intrusion. You are Daniel Armstrong, aren't you? Daniel started as he recognized her. Doctor Kinnear! The last time I saw you was at BOSS's annual general meeting. Oh, were you there? She laughed. I didn't notice you. No, you did seem to have other things on your mind at the time. Daniel smiled back at her. What happened to your bullhorn?
Were you ever able to get it repaired? Japanese rubbish, Kelly Kinnear said. A couple of good shots to the head and it falls to pieces. She had a sense of humour of course'- he knew that from her writing, but her eyes were even lovelier than the photograph on the dust-jacket had suggested. He liked her instantly. It must have been obvious, for Bonny pulled her hand out of his, and he felt a twinge of guilt. May I introduce you to my assistant, Bonny Mahon? Actually, I'm a lighting cameraman, not an assistant, Bonny corrected him tartly.
Yes, Kelly agreed. I know your work. You filmed 'Arctic Dream'. It was very good.
She had a disarmingly direct gaze and Bonny looked slightly abashed by the praise. Thank you. But I must warn you, I haven't read your book, Doctor Kinnear. That puts you in a majority of several hundred million, Miss Mahon. Kelly sensed the antagonism in the other woman but showed no sign of offence, and turned back to Daniel. I think I have seen every one of your productions over the years. In fact, you are responsible for me being in Africa at all. When I graduated I was going to Borneo to work with the Penan tribe.
Then I saw one of your earlier series on the lakes of the Rift Valley.
That changed my mind. After that I just had to come to Africa.
Kelly broke off and laughed softly with embarrassment. I know that this will sound terribly jejune, but I am a fan of yours. The truth is I've been hanging around here, just hoping to bump into you ever since I heard that you were in Nairobi. I just had to talk to you. You aren't staying here at the Norfolk, then?
Daniel was feeling better disposed to her every minute. It is difficult to dislike someone who admits to being your fan.
Good Lord, no. Kelly laughed again with surprising gusto.
She had perfect teeth, even her molars were free of fillings. I'm not a successful TV producer. I'm just a poor disadvantaged field researcher without a sponsor. The Smithsonian pulled my grant after I was slung out of Ubomo by Taffari. Let me stand you a steak then, Daniel offered. A steak! I salivate at the thought. I've been living on groundnuts and dried lake-fish since I got back. Yes, why don't you join us, Doctor Kinnear? said Bonny in a voice of poisoned honey, placing emphasis on the plural pronoun. How sweet of you, Miss Mahon.
Kelly glanced at her coolly, and hostility flashed between them like a discharge of static electricity. Their method of communication was too esoteric for Daniel to appreciate, and he smiled amiably. Let's go and find some food, he said, and led them towards the doors of the This grill room that opened on to the court.
yard. Are you going to film in Kenya? Kelly asked. What are you doing in Nairobi, Doctor Armstrong? Danny, he invited her to drop the formalities. We are on our way to Ubomo, as a matter of fact. Ubomo!
Kelly stopped dead and looked up at him. That's marvelous It's a perfect subject for you, a microcosm of emerging Africa. You are one of the few people who could do it properly. Your trust is flattering, but daunting. Daniel smiled down at her. For a moment he had forgotten Bonny, until she squeezed his arm to remind him that she was there. I'll pay for my supper by telling you all I know about the country, Kelly offered. Deal, Daniel agreed,
