Moonflower Read online

  ‘Miss Kyle?’

  Sophie heard her name called from the verandah, but with bright sunlight behind her, she couldn’t make out the person standing in the shade.

  ‘Miss Kyle, is that you?’

  Sophie strode up the stairs and went to the woman who had called her name. She had hazel eyes and very dark, glossy hair. Very like Reuben’s.

  ‘Mrs Manning?’

  ‘Yes! My, aren’t you lovely,’ she said, extending her hand. Sophie took it and the hand that gripped hers was strong.

  ‘Mark told us that Reuben had managed to contract the most extraordinary conservationist for Labour’s End,’ Mrs Manning said with enthusiasm.

  Sophie smiled. ‘I see you’re all kitted out,’ she said, indicating the khaki shirt, trousers and hiking boots adorning the other woman’s slightly plump frame. There was a purple spray of buchu blooms in the buttonhole of her lapel, which surprised Sophie and made her smile.

  ‘Oh, I’m so pleased you approve, Miss Kyle,’ she said without a trace of sarcasm. ‘When I bought all this I was worried I’d look like a bit of cliché in my get-up.’

  ‘You’re spot on,’ Sophie said, looking down at her own khaki shirt, shorts and sturdy hiking boots. ‘And please, call me Sophie.’

  ‘Sophie it is. And you must call me Ruby.’

  ‘Ruby,’ Sophie repeated, more than a little surprised. She’d expected an Elizabeth or Caroline in Prada. Not a Ruby in khaki.

  ‘I see you’ve already been introduced to our miracle buchu plant,’ Sophie said indicating the purple spray.

  ‘It was given to me by a lovely old man who suddenly appeared beside me in all the confusion of our luggage being unloaded.’

  ‘Mr Solomon,’ Sophie said.

  ‘He didn’t speak,’ Ruby told her. ‘Just popped it into my buttonhole and said, “Hmph!” and when I turned to thank him, he was gone.’

  ‘He’s our gardener,’ Sophie explained. ‘And you should be honoured. He doesn’t bother with just anybody.’

  ‘Well, perhaps he realises that I’m an avid gardener, too. I’m just crazy about plants and all the little creatures that rely on them. Max? Max, come over here and meet Sophie, Reuben’s lovely conservationist.’

  Seconds later, a tall man with dark blue eyes disengaged himself from Reuben and the staff around him. ‘So pleased to meet you,’ he said, coming forward to shake her hand.

  Sophie stared into eyes nearly as deep a blue as Reuben’s and felt shy suddenly. She smiled at him, shook his hand.

  ‘Mark told us about Sophie, remember,’ Ruby prompted.

  ‘Oh!’ Max said. ‘Yes, he did. Sophie. Yes.’

  ‘Max isn’t particularly talkative,’ Ruby said, stepping forward and linking her arm through her husband’s. ‘But he’s the love of my life and a good man so there are things I put up with.’

  Max smiled good-naturedly and gently patted his wife’s hand.

  Reuben came over to join them. ‘You’ve met,’ he said, and Sophie thought she detected a tightness in his voice.

  ‘We’re practically friends already,’ Ruby said. ‘Aren’t we, Sophie?’

  Sophie smiled broadly at her and nodded.

  ‘Now when can we go out into the bush, my darling?’ Ruby asked, releasing her husband, and threading her arm through her son’s. ‘I’m dying to see this farm you’ve been bending our ear about for months.’

  ‘Right now, if Sophie will take us.’

  ‘I’d love to,’ she said. ‘I’ll bring a vehicle around.’

  ‘Last one in the vehicle’s a rotten egg,’ Ruby called, as Sophie headed to the garages.

  The late afternoon sunshine slanted across the veld, turning the landscape to gold as they bounced along dirt tracks. Max and Ruby were wonderful company. Ruby: talkative, enthusiastic and full of jokes, with Max good-naturedly playing her foil.

  Reuben drove the vehicle, smiling happily at his mother’s banter. Sophie turned in her seat now and then to explain some animal or feature of the landscape to the two in the back.

  Every time she did this, Reuben’s hand would brush her bare knee as he geared down; his touch spreading like warm sunshine through her body.

  They stopped on a rise above a watering hole just as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon in a ball of flaming peach.

  ‘Oh, look at those,’ Ruby said, excitedly from the back. ‘The little ones, what are they?’

  ‘The small buck on the left?’ Sophie asked.

  ‘Yes, they’re like tiny toys. So delicate.’

  ‘Those are duiker,’ Sophie told her, then went on to describe some of their habits.

  Ruby and Max were turned sideways in the vehicle, peering rapturously through binoculars. Reuben reached a hand out to Sophie, touched her knee, his finger tracing a line along the inside of her thigh, making her shiver.

  He took his hand away quickly when his mother turned to ask Sophie a question. When she’d once again resumed her vigil through the binoculars, Sophie caught Reuben’s eye, ran her hand along the inside of his thigh, squeezing gently. Reuben moved slightly in his seat and, when Sophie saw his silent intake of breath, she let go and stuck her tongue out at him.

  A moment later, as Ruby chattered happily from the back, Reuben leaned over Sophie, supposedly to look for some item in the glove compartment, and rubbed his arm against her breast. Now it was Sophie’s turn to gasp silently as her nipple stood erect against the fabric of her shirt. Reuben sat back in his seat and stuck his tongue out at her.

  Just then Ruby turned to ask another question. ‘Good grief, Reuben. You haven’t done that since you were a child. Sophie, I must apologise. I did not bring my son up to stick his tongue out at ladies.’

  Sophie laughed her deep throaty laugh and Reuben grinned beside her, looking a little bashful.

  ‘I haven’t seen you this relaxed in years,’ Ruby said, leaning over the seat to ruffle his hair. Reuben looked decidedly embarrassed.

  ‘Though it doesn’t surprise me,’ Ruby went on. ‘You remember how he loved the outdoors, Max? Always exploring, and there was many a battle trying to get them inside at the end of the day. We were lucky to bring the boys up in the Cotswolds. Lots of open space. Nothing like this, of course,’ Ruby said, looking around her. ‘But when Reuben bought the farm we weren’t exactly surprised.’

  ‘You remember how he was always bringing some creature or another home with him?’ Max reminded his wife.

  ‘Tortoises,’ Ruby agreed. ‘A rabbit, once. We’d have to take them to the vet, or nurse them back to health, then make a production of releasing them again.’

  ‘We put our foot down with the snake. You remember that, Ruby?’

  ‘Sure do. Rabbit’s one thing, but I wasn’t having a snake in the house.’

  Sophie looked over at Reuben, who gazed out at the watering hole, smiling, lost in happy memories. No sign of Reuben Manning, the results-driven, hard-as-nails business tycoon.

  When they got back to the house, Sophie excused herself, being mindful of not overstaying her welcome.

  Ruby hugged her warmly and thanked her for what she called their ‘safari adventure’.

  ‘You’ll be coming to dinner with us tomorrow night, won’t you?’ Ruby asked.

  At Sophie’s blank expression, she explained, ‘Reuben’s taking us to dinner at some fancy hotel in Cape Town. We’d love to have you along.’

  Sophie shook her head, not wanting to put Reuben on the spot. ‘Thank you so much for the invitation, Ruby, but I’m sure you’d like to have some time alone with your son, and there’s a lot for me to do on the farm.’

  ‘You didn’t invite her?’ Ruby said, looking quizzically at her son.

  Reuben said nothing, just looked horribly uncomfortable and Sophie’s heart broke a little.

  ‘Well, I’m inviting you, dear. Max and I love to dance, and Reuben can’t sit alone all evening like a wilting violet. He needs a partner, and we’d be much obliged if you’d be his dance partner.
You’ll wear your party dress and we’ll have a wonderful time.’

  ‘I’ll come along,’ Sophie said, ‘as long as I don’t get in anyone’s way.’

  ‘In our way… Goodness me! You’d be doing us a service, Sophie.’ She looked askance at her son. ‘Don’t know what’s wrong with him. He isn’t usually this shy.’

  Sophie took off for a couple of hours the next day to rush back to her flat in Cape Town to fetch the only evening gown she owned.

  Just before the clock struck seven that evening, she stood in front of the full length mirror that hung on the inside of her cupboard door in the cottage.

  The gown was pale blue, full-length, just tight enough to hint at the curves beneath the delicate fabric. Its tightly ruched bodice emphasised the fullness of her breasts, while its thin straps covered in tiny golden beads and amber crystals set off her tanned skin to perfection. She wore no jewellery. She had none that would go with a gown of this sort.

  Usually conscious of her height, Sophie felt not the least bit awkward in a pair of gold strappy sandals. Concerned she’d take a tumble, unaccustomed as she was to heels, she’d practised a little and had found that if she shortened her stride and pulled herself up to her full height, she felt as if she were gliding, the gossamer gown floating around her.

  Sophie picked her way carefully to the house, watching for any small cracks her heels might sink into. She almost ran down Mr Solomon who has stepped into her path in his usual way.

  ‘Hmm,’ he said, eyeing her gown critically. ‘Go to bed at night, not a bloom on the bush; wake next morning and it’s ablaze. Take this, girl,’ he said, handing her a spray of jasmine.

  ‘Is this South African jasmine?’ she asked, raising the spray tightly packed with starry tubular flowers to her nose.

  ‘Sacred flower of Kama, Hindu god of love. Our version.’

  ‘Beautiful. You’re a wonderful man, Mr Solomon. Thank you, again.’

  Reuben, when he saw her, did a double take, then seemed to have been struck dumb.

  ‘Oh don’t you look lovely, my dear,’ Ruby said, giving Sophie a careful hug. ‘Don’t you think she looks lovely, Max?’

  ‘A vision,’ he agreed.

  ‘We must pin those lovely flowers to your dress,’ Ruby said. ‘Wait here a moment.’

  Reuben said not a word as they were driven to Cape Town. Ruby chattered excitedly and Sophie pointed out some of the landmarks. But Reuben sat opposite Sophie staring out the window at the sparkling lights of the city. They turned into the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront built around Table Bay Harbour, and eventually stopped in front of one of its glittering hotels.

  Despite Reuben’s silence, she was determined to at least try to enjoy the evening, if only because she didn’t want to spoil it for Ruby and Max. So she smiled and linked her arm through Reuben’s as they walked into the foyer.

  As soon as the last dishes from their sumptuous dinner had been taken away, Max and Ruby took to the dance floor.

  Sophie got up from her seat and held a hand out to Reuben.

  He looked at the proffered hand, but would not meet her eyes. In fact, he seemed like a desperately unhappy man.

  Still keeping his gaze averted from her face, he took her hand and followed her to the dance floor. Sophie allowed herself to be drawn into his arms. She pressed gently against him, and they swayed together to the sensuous sounds of a jazz duo. They had both had several glasses of dry pungent wine and Sophie felt Reuben’s arm tighten around her as she swayed on her heels.

  His fingers laced through hers, the heat of his palm against the small of her back finding its way through the fabric to her skin. She felt his breath against her forehead and the scent of jasmine was yet another intoxication as the delicate blooms against her bodice were crushed to his chest. Sophie’s heart swelled as she felt his desire for her pressing against the thinness of her gown, and he swore softly.

  They stayed on the dance floor for most of the evening. Sophie’s feet started to ache but she didn’t care.

  When they took their seats to sip crystal glasses of cognac while Ruby and Max chattered away, Reuben made sure some part of his body was touching Sophie: the press of his thigh or arm, his fingers finding their way to her back, or caressing her hand beneath the tablecloth.

  Too soon the evening was over, and Sophie found herself wishing Ruby and Max goodnight on the verandah.

  She was certain Reuben would come to her.

  Still in the evening gown, she pulled the quilt to the bottom of the bed, unpinned the jasmine from her bodice and scattered the flowers on the sheet.

  Soon afterwards, Reuben strode into the cottage and closed the door noisily behind him. He came to her, every feature taut with tension and barely suppressed passion. His fingers brushed her shoulders as he pushed aside one strap then the other.

  He stepped back as the gown slid down her body to land in a pool at her feet. She wore no underwear; only the gold stilettos. He dropped to his knees, sliding his hands up her thighs, her legs parting at his bidding; he dipped his head forward and licked her centre.

  Sophie’s moan was long and deep and she tangled her fingers in his hair. She was sure he would draw away from her as she edged towards climax, but he did not.

  ‘Ah, Reuben!’ she exclaimed, then was lost in an arcing spasm of desire.

  Her breath came back in small gasps. He was on his feet, watching her face closely; torment on his.

  Her hands went to the buttons of his shirt. He stilled them.

  She frowned up at him. ‘Reuben?’

  ‘What have you done to me, Sophie?’ he asked. There was some anger in his voice.

  Her hands dropped to her sides. Her eyes prickled with unshed tears. She felt suddenly ridiculous standing there in nothing but a pair of stilettos. Quickly, she bent to pull the sheet off the bed and hold it up to her body.

  His eyes blazed at her, nostrils flaring.

  Sophie tried desperately hard not to cry. He seemed disgusted with her, or with himself.

  ‘I can’t let sex threaten everything I’ve worked so damned hard for,’ he told her, his voice hard. ‘You turn my head, Sophie. It doesn’t work so well when you’re around.’ He knocked a fist to his forehead.

  She reached up, drew his hand away. ‘I have never asked you for anything. Never expected you to give up anything for me.’

  ‘But that makes it worse. Don’t you see that?’

  Sophie shook her head.

  ‘These are decisions that should be made in the cold light of day. But that doesn’t happen because you keep weaving this spell around me each night, Sophie Kyle. Like some mythical creature that comes out of the bush at night to tempt and entice and drive me out of my mind if I’m not careful. I need to get away from you where I can think. That’s what I must do. Get away from you.’

  He turned and strode from the cottage.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sophie took Max and Ruby on a morning game drive. Reuben did not join them.

  Upon their return, Max headed back to the house, while Ruby asked Sophie to show her the garden.

  Sophie hoped they’d bump into Mr Solomon, but when the old man failed to appear she did her best to point out the plants and tell some of the stories behind them that Mr Solomon had passed to her.

  Ruby was, of course, enthusiastic, but Sophie sensed there was something else on her mind. Eventually, she stopped beside the lake.

  ‘Is there something you’d like to speak to me about, Ruby?’

  The older woman turned to Sophie, smiled and nodded. ‘You’re a wonderful girl, Sophie. Beautiful but unaffected. No player of games and that’s a rarity today.’

  Sophie smiled a little wanly at the comment.

  ‘Mark told us something of Reuben’s attraction to you and I can see now that the situation has become a little complicated.’

  She looked to Sophie for confirmation and got a nod in return.

  Ruby went on, ‘I love my son dearly. More than that,
I admire him. He’s a good man. And for that reason it pains me to see how suspicious he’s become over the years; with all the money he makes. Personally, I wish he hadn’t been as successful as he’s been.’

  She glanced quickly at Sophie to see her reaction. ‘Does that sound strange to you?’

  ‘No,’ Sophie said. ‘I know what you mean. A lot of responsibility that weighs heavily on him. A lot of money and not always much choice.’

  ‘Exactly! All I want is for my son to be happy. To be financially secure, yes, but also to have the love of a good woman and a house full of children. That’s what Max and I want for our sons.’

  She paused for a moment. Sophie waited.

  ‘Reuben’s happier than I’ve seen him in a long time. But he’s also full of turmoil and I think you have something to do with that.’

  Sophie looked down at her feet.

  ‘Reuben was a very easy child. Loved the outdoors and animals, as Max and I told you. We thought he’d become a vet or something like that. But he turned out to have this unusually brilliant brain for strategy and business, and success followed success and the money rolled in. I think before he knew it he found himself neck-deep in a future very different to the one he’d imagined for himself.’

  Ruby sighed. ‘I’m rattling on a bit, aren’t I? Max always tells me I need to get to the point this side of the twenty-first century. So, this is what I’m trying to say, Sophie. Reuben has a lot he needs to sort out for himself. But I have a gut feeling—call it mother’s intuition—that you should hang in there. Don’t give up just yet.’

  ‘You sound like Mr Solomon,’ Sophie said, trying to smile at the other woman.

  ‘Well,’ Ruby said, linking her arm through Sophie’s, ‘I think Mr Solomon sounds like a very wise man.’

  Sophie saw Reuben briefly when she walked Ruby back to the house, hugged and said goodbye to her. Reuben passed her going up the verandah steps as she was coming down.