He interpreted her silence to his wishes, and slid his hand up her arm. She did not resist; it seemed so much simpler to accept the philosophy of the drum and surrender to the primeval forces. Dick's lips were on hers, but his kisses reminded her of her husband's early love-making. Without much conviction, she pushed them away and stood upright, her breasts heaving. Dick seized her small hands as they pushed at his chest, pulling her against him. His arm went round her body and lifted her to him till her toes barely touched the ground. He smothered her white, upturned face with kisses. She could hardly breathe. For a moment she was tense and tingling; her senses shot up like firelight, then narrowed to a pin point. Heaviness descended on her and remorse. Her own voice rang in her ears—'What about Archie?'
She struggled and he released her.
'Go now, Dick,' she said, her deep voice husky, and picking up the lamp she left him.
He waited silent in his chair for hours it seemed; then, as she made no sign, he rose, swinging his hurricane lamp. She watched the light stagger away across the river with a feeling of utter desolation.
Next morning she sat down at her writing-table. Outside the window squatted Jacketi waiting impassively for her letter.
Jacketi was a bad lot, he liked beer and women better and spared truth further than most natives, but he had perfect manners and wonderful legs. Sixty miles in thirty hours he would do, and overtake in a day and a night the three days' stages of a white man. For this Norah had summoned him to carry a letter to Archie.
Africa was silent in the daylight and traditions of loyalty and chastity asserted themselves. She resented the struggle and thought cynically how much simpler it would have been, if Dick had imposed his will on her: like Montaigne's lady, who, after a troop of cavalry had been billeted in her house, wrote in her diary, This night, praise the Virgin, I am satisfied without sin.'
She had decided to call to Archie to come and, if his presence did not stem the flood which threatened to sweep her away, at least she would talk things out aboveboard and honestly with him. Painfully she drafted a letter: not an easy one to write. She tore up her first attempt and scrawled, 'Dear Archie, If you love me, come straight back.—NORAH.' She sealed it and handed it through the window to the waiting Jacketi. Then she wrote a note to Dick, telling him to keep his side of the river till she sent for him. Norah never did things by halves.
A few days later Jacketi was standing again on the verandah, tired but smiling.
'Well, Jacketi, did you find the Bwana?'