A Wedding in Africa (The Africa Series)

by Carnegie, Shirley

  ‘Shoo, you lot!’ Tilly playfully pushed the gaggle of giggling girls to one side. ‘You’ll scare him away before he’s even through the door. Don’t you know by now how damn hard it is to get Tate to come to a party?’

  Tate laughed and pulled Tilly towards him, planting a friendly kiss on both cheeks. ‘Am I really that anti-social?’ he said with a slight frown. ‘Darling, you’re much, much worse than that!’ Tilly rippled with pleasure and her huge teardrop diamond earrings sparkled. ‘Lacey! How absolutely lovely to see you again. That dress! Omigod! It’s so heavenly!’

  ‘So is yours, Tilly,’ Lacey replied with genuine warmth. It was hard not to respond to Tilly’s infectious enthusiasm. ‘You look beautiful.’ Tilly did a little twirl for Tate’s benefit. ‘See,’ she pouted. ‘At least Lacey noticed this divine dress. I went all the way to Milan for this little number!’

  ‘It was well worth it, Tilly. It suits you.’

  ‘Suits me!’ Tilly remonstrated. ‘Is that the best you can do?’ Tate held out his hands and shrugged helplessly. ‘It’s… gorgeous? Fantastic? Is that better?’ Tilly nodded and squeezed his arm affectionately. ‘See what I have to put up with Lacey? He’s hopeless. Utterly hopeless. Now you just go and mingle with some of the men, Tate darling. Joshua Ncube’s here with his brother, and your old pal Abel Chikepo’s flown in from Zimbabwe. I’ll look after Lacey. My mother’s dying to meet her.’

  ‘You okay with that?’ Tate’s gaze swept across Lacey’s face, searching for signs.

  ‘Of course she’s okay! Now go and enjoy yourself! We’ll come find you later.’ Tilly grabbed Lacey’s hand and pulled her out of the crush. Delighted to be somewhere completely different, away from all the familiar Cape Town gossip, Lacey allowed herself to be swept along on the tide of Tilly’s irrepressible enthusiasm. It was easy to see why Tate liked her. She was great fun and a perfect antidote to Tate’s introverted personality and strange sense of melancholy. Tilly was also just the right woman to drag him out of his beloved Matshana, and get him out and about a bit more. She was just what he needed.

  ‘Thanks so much for persuading Tate to come,’ Tilly remarked unexpectedly. ‘I figured he might if you came too.’ ‘Goodness! I had nothing to do with it, Tilly. I’m sure he wanted to come anyway. I’m just here because I wanted to see you again and wish you happy birthday.’

  Tilly shrugged. ‘Thanks, Lacey darling. I’d like to believe that. Truly I would, but I’m not as naive as Tate thinks. I know he’s not really interested in me in that way. I’m not his type at all really. I guess I just keep hoping he’ll change his mind one day. But even if he doesn’t, I’m enjoying every minute of my time with him. It’s not every girl who gets to date Tate Maddox – even for a little while. All my girlfriends are peagreen with envy!’

  Lacey stole a glance at Tate over her shoulder. He was standing with a group of friends, talking and laughing. Even among men, his peers, he stood out in the crowd. His presence was like a magnet. His dark, brooding good looks smouldered like rare black diamonds in a sea of semi-precious stones. Women everywhere seemed fixated by him, stealing furtive glances in his direction with eyes that said it all.

  Just like she was really! Until Tate looked up and met her eyes. Then, just for a second, everyone else in the room seemed to disappear. All the laughter, the chatter, the tinkling glasses and background music were silenced. Nothing, and no-one, could break the electrifying connection of sparkling emerald and dark, gleaming gunmetal.

  ‘I wish he’d look at me that way,’ Tilly whispered in Lacey’s ear. Lacey blushed, and tugged her gaze away from Tate’s eyes. ‘He probably can’t believe I’m actually wearing a dress! He’s used to seeing me in jeans. Next to you, he must think I’m a real style disaster.’

  ‘Judging by that look, I think he thinks you’re a very special lady.’ ‘Nonsense!’ Lacey stammered. ‘I’m not sure he even likes me, let alone thinks I’m “special”. The truth is, Tilly, he can’t wait to get me out of his home, so he can have Matshana all to himself again.’

  ‘Do you want to know what I think, Lacey?’ Tilly leaned forward conspiratorially. ‘I think you’re exactly what he needs at Matshana. He doesn’t need me. He needs someone like you. And I’ll let you into another secret, shall I? Nothing, I mean nothing, would make me happier than to see my most favourite person in the whole wide world happy at last. My darling Tate deserves to be happy, Lacey. I just wish I could be the one to do it. Now, here’s Mummy. Don’t tell her what I just said, will you? She’d kill me if she thought I was willing to give up South Africa’s most eligible bachelor without a fight!’

  Lacey was still reeling from the shock of Tilly’s revelation, and the overwhelming sense of affection and respect that she felt for this lovely, thoughtful young woman, that she didn’t notice a tall, perfectly-groomed older woman approach them.

  ‘Mummy, this is Lacey. Isn’t she just divine? Don’t you just love her dress?’ The older woman’s eyes quickly appraised her daughter’s guest before she extended a bony hand with elegantly manicured fingernails. ‘Miss Van der Zyl,’ she said in a cut-glass accent. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you. Your family is very well-connected in South Africa.’

  ‘It’s mainly in Cape Town,’ Lacey hurriedly sought to dispel the notion that she was in any way part of the colonial aristocracy. ‘Well, that’s as maybe. Tilly, go and mingle with your guests, darling. I’d like to get to know Miss Van der Zyl better.’ Tilly frowned at Lacey, but knew better than to argue with her formidable mother. With a quick squeeze of Lacey’s fingers for luck, she went, leaving her bewildered guest alone with one of the region’s most powerful matriarchs.

  ‘So, are you enjoying your stay at Matshana?’

  ‘Very much thank you, Mrs Du Preez,’ Lacey replied, still clutching her glass of wine, but way too nervous to take a drink. ‘It’s a magical place. The lodges are fantastic.’

  ‘Yes they are. Not that I’m keen on tourists, as you can imagine. But Tate assures me that only top drawer people will be able to afford to stay there, so I take comfort in that.’

  Lacey chewed her bottom lip and her fingers tightened their grip on the stem of her wine glass.

  ‘And is Tate looking after you? Not leaving you alone, too much? He can be a little… insular at times.’

  ‘He’s been a wonderful host,’ Lacey replied, casting a surreptitious glance at Tate who was now chatting animatedly to Tilly. ‘He’s a wonderful boy,’ Mrs Du Preez followed the direction of Lacey’s gaze and her eyes narrowed. ‘As you can see, he and Tilly get on so well together. They were made for each other, don’t you agree? And Tilly’s the only one who can bring him out of his shell.’

  ‘I reckon Tilly could bring anyone out of their shell. She’s adorable.’ Mrs Du Preez nodded. ‘She is, isn’t she? And I’m glad that Tate can see it, too. Half the girls in the area have set their caps at that poor boy over the years, but he only has eyes for Tilly. In fact, he must be utterly weary of women throwing themselves at him by now. And, my goodness, many have tried. Believe me. But he realises that my daughter is the right girl for him. They’re so good together, don’t you agree, Miss Van der Zyl?’

  To her horror, Lacey realised that Mrs Du Preez had placed her firmly in the category of women who tried to “set their caps” at Tate Maddox. How perfectly awful! She bitterly regretted having chucked her engagement ring on the bed, right now. It would be the perfect foil for Mrs Du Preez’s loaded barbs.

  Anxiously, she fiddled with the empty space on her third finger where the ring used to be. It felt odd without those three familiar diamonds and she desperately wished she was still wearing it. She wished she was still safely engaged to another man. That way she wouldn’t be seen as a threat to Mrs Du Preez’s matrimonial plans; that she wasn’t remotely in the running for the area’s most eligible bachelor. But, without an engagement ring, only her pride and sense of outrage could combat the insinuations.

  ‘I think Tate and Tilly suit each other perfect
ly,’ she replied in clipped tones. Mrs Du Preez didn’t seem to notice. ‘You’re right, of course. And the poor boy deserves a chance of happiness after all he’s been through. Tilly’s just the girl to help heal his broken heart.’

  ‘Broken heart? I didn’t know Tate had a broken heart.’ ‘Ghastly affair,’ Mrs Du Preez turned her back to the room - the consummate gossip - and inclined her head towards Lacey. ‘There was some hoo-hah with one of the servants. No-one knows for sure, but it ended up with his wife walking out on him.’

  ‘His wife!’ Lacey was shocked. ‘I didn’t know Tate had been married.’ ‘Nice girl. Not very popular round here, but I always liked her. Miranda. That was her name.’

  ‘So what happened? Why did she leave him?’ ‘All we knew was that there was a terrible fight between the two brothers about one of the servants. Heaven only knows what that was all about. But it was such a pity - Gareth was a real asset to our local community. He was such a get-up-and-go kind of person. Much more outgoing than his brother. Anyway, after the fight, Miranda packed her bags and left with Gareth. And neither one has been back since.’

  Suddenly, Lacey could picture the scene quite clearly. Miranda must have found out that Tate had fathered a lovechild. The poor woman. How awful to be confronted with your husband’s betrayal like that. And, obviously, Gareth must have been livid, too. His own brother had betrayed his wife and fathered an illegitimate child at the same time. And what about poor Nandi? Gareth must have been furious that Tate had involved her in all the scandal. No wonder he was willing to help Miranda escape.

  ‘It was quite a shock to our community, I can tell you,’ Mrs Du Preez continued, oblivious to Lacey’s shock and outrage. ‘But we’re over it now. And, thanks to Tilly, Tate is just beginning to come to terms with losing his wife and his brother at the same time. Family are so important, aren’t they? Do you have brothers and sisters, Miss Van der Zyl?’

  Lacey felt the earth shudder beneath her feet and her head began to swim. She placed the glass of wine on a passing waiter’s tray and stared at the floor. ‘I did have a brother… once. His name was Michael.’

  ‘Oh dear, so there’s been a falling out in your family, too, I see. Oh well, it happens to the best of us. Even the most prestigious families can fall out. Were you and Michael very close as children?’

  An image of a handsome young lad, with a shock of blond hair flecked with red-gold streaks, flashed into her mind. He was laughing, diving into the waves that lapped at the sandy beach beside their home. Their mother was calling to them to come in for lunch. Michael emerged from the water, dripping wet, young and strong and healthy with his whole life before him. He flicked a towel at his older sister then ran off, taunting her until she gave chase and they collapsed in a heap of giggles in the middle of the lawn.

  Were they close, Mrs Du Preez had asked. Lacey squeezed her eyes shut to blot out the happy images of a carefree childhood. Yes, she and Michael were close. Very close. But that was a long time ago.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Away from the house, at the edge of Matshana’s manicured gardens, there was a gate that led out into the vast open plains of the lowveld. Lacey opened the gate and stepped out into the wild African landscape.

  She knew she shouldn’t really go wandering about dangerous predators roamed freely in the bush - but she needed to get away from people right now. High above her, the scorching sun blazed against a clear, blue sky. The midday sun. Not exactly the best time to go walking. But she had a flask of water clipped to her belt and she was used to the soaring heat. She’d be okay, physically. But emotionally? Now that was a different story. Emotionally, she was still reeling from Mrs Du Preez’s revelations at the party last night.

  Tate married! It didn’t seem possible, yet she couldn’t deny how easily things slotted into place now. She felt so sorry for his poor wife Miranda, wasn’t it? Just imagine finding out that you’d been betrayed by your husband – and that another woman was carrying his baby! At least Miranda’s brother-in-law had been there to help. How she must have counted on Gareth’s support at that terrible time.

  And now, blissfully unaware of the treachery behind his very existence, little Themba was forced to live out his life never knowing who his father really was. How could Tate do that to a child? His own son? How could he just stand by and let Nandi and Themba bear the secret of his own shameful behaviour? Did he really think that paying for the boy to go to a posh school made up for the lack of a father figure in his life? Was Tate really that thoughtless and selfish? Couldn’t he see that having a son was a privilege? Any other man would be proud to acknowledge Themba as his own. It was disgraceful that Tate didn’t have the decency, or the courage, to do the same.

  But then there was a lot about Tate Maddox that made her blood boil. She still seethed at the thought of Nandi and Thomas working impossible hours just to get those wretched lodges finished on time. And what was it Mrs Du Preez had said? She took comfort in the fact that only “top drawer” people would be able to afford to stay in them. How awful was that? People like Thomas and Nandi, who’d slogged away for months on those blasted lodges, wouldn’t be allowed enjoy any of the benefits. All the income raised by their hard work would simply go to swell Tate’s already bulging coffers.

  But, in spite of his many faults, everyone loved Tate. Men respected and admired him; liked him as a friend. And the women – well, she knew from bitter experience how easily a woman could fall for a man like Tate Maddox.

  Lacey paused to open her bottle of water and take in the vast expanse of golden savannah that now seemed to encircle her. She’d walked so far that the house was a distant speck on the horizon. It was easy to lose yourself in the wide open expanse. Easy to escape from all the hurt and worry. Not a bit like Cape Town with its relentless round of gossip and intrigue. Only here, in the vast, isolated Sabie Valley, with only birds and wild animals for company, could Lacey truly be at peace.

  She’d been following a well-trodden path, but was so lost in thought that she didn’t realise she’d actually stepped off the main track and was now following one of the unpredictable animal trails into the heart of the bush. Ahead, she could see a clutch of massive granite boulders clustered round a magnificent old fig tree. It would provide a welcome shade from the heat. She’d rest up there for a while before heading back to the house.

  Not that she wanted to go back to the house. Not yet. In fact, the mere thought of making idle chit-chat with Tate filled her with horror. And yet he wasn’t all bad, was he? He was also gentle and thoughtful and kind. He made her laugh, made her think, made her feel like a million dollars. But wasn’t that exactly how Tilly felt, too?

  Looking back on their conversation at the party, Lacey couldn’t help but admire Tilly for accepting her place in Tate’s life; selflessly and generously putting Tate’s happiness before her own. It reassuring to learn that Tilly didn’t feel diminished just because her feelings for Tate weren’t reciprocated. As far as Tilly was concerned, Tate was her friend, and she wouldn’t let anything affect that friendship. Even so, Lacey had been astonished to learn that, for some unknown reason, Tilly seemed to think that she, Lacey, held the key to Tate’s happiness.

  Lacey pushed her way through the long grasses to the kopje, carefully stepping over the rocks that had broken away from the mighty boulders. There was something about Tate Maddox that inspired unwavering love and loyalty in everyone who knew him. It was quite bizarre. No wonder Mrs Du Preez was so keen to secure him as a son-in-law. What a catch. Looking back on that weird conversation, Lacey could actually chuckle about it now. To be fair, Mrs Du Preez was only doing what any other mother would do for her daughter. She was trying to protect her daughter’s best interests the only way she knew how.

  It was exactly what Lacey’s own mother would have done for her. If she’d still been alive.

  But her darling mother wasn’t alive, was she? She was dead. Along with Michael - Lacey’s younger brother. And Lacey had been responsib
le for their deaths. She’d killed her own mother and her beloved brother, Michael. She knew she was the one to blame for their deaths. Her father knew it. Everyone knew it. And Lacey would never, ever forgive herself for that one, dreadful mistake.

  Michael had wanted to drive his mother’s plush new car on that fateful day three years ago, but Lacey had been promised first go at the wheel of the impressive vehicle. Specially shipped over from Germany, it was a sleek silver machine kitted out with all the latest gadgets, and it would be a dream to drive. In the end, rather than fall out with her brother, Lacey had reluctantly given him the keys. True to form, Michael had then felt guilty for upsetting her. He suggested they toss for it.

  Shaking her head in despair at this playful sibling rivalry, their mother sat in the passenger seat and waited for the issue to resolve itself with the toss of a coin. Within minutes, the driver’s door was flung open and a triumphant Lacey took her place behind the wheel. Grinning, but gracious as ever in defeat, Michael climbed into the back.

  The rains had come early that year and the roads were awash. Overhead, heavy black clouds filled the sky - dark and menacing. Winds howled across the landscape bending trees and whipping up fallen leaves and branches as they raged.

  ‘Not the best day for a drive,’ their mother had remarked. ‘I love driving in the rain,’ Michael had countered from the back seat. ‘Let me know if you need me to take over, sis!’

  ‘Thank you for your consideration, Michael, but I’m quite capable of driving this divine machine all by myself.’

  ‘It’s only a shower, anyway,’ Michael teased. ‘Even a monkey could drive through this!’ ‘Hardly a shower,’ their mother warned, surreptitiously clinging on to the sides of her seat. ‘These winds are terrible. Do drive slowly, darling. Some of these bends can be treacherous.’

  ‘That’s right! Make sure you drive nice and slowly, Lace. Mum doesn’t want her “divine machine” trashed because of your inadequate driving skills!’