early cold front, suggesting that autumn was just around the corner. Callie pulled out a shawl from her bag and wound it around her shoulders as Sarah accelerated away.
When they drove back through the impressive entrance Finn realised that they were leaving the security of the electric fenced estate and were heading into the reserve itself—wild and beautiful.
This is more like it, he thought, his eyes scanning the bush for signs of wildlife.
Within five hundred yards of the gate they saw a herd of springbok and a female warthog with her piglets. Then they saw a fish eagle in a tree, and Sarah pointed out a reclusive eland bull in a thicket of acacias.
This is Africa, he thought, breathing deeply. The sounds and sights of the bush.
A part of him wished that Sarah would dump them in a clearing and pull out a tent. He needed the solitude and peace of nature. After this crazy couple of weeks he wanted to wind down, and he couldn’t think of a better way to do it than being alone in the bush. But because this was the Buffalo and Baobab he suspected that their idea of getting up close and personal with nature would be much better.
He’d barely finished that thought when Sarah veered off the dirt road onto a grassy track. Within a hundred metres she’d stopped in a clearing and Finn looked around.
They were on the edge of a cliff, and he could hear the muted sound of a river smacking on rocks below them. In one of the huge wild fig trees overlooking the river he could see a tree house, nestled into its strong branches. Except that it was less house and more platforms—three of them in all, staggered up the tree. The bottom platform looked to be a bathroom, complete with shower, the second held couches and a table, and the highest one, he presumed, would hold a bed. A bed that was open to the African sky and the elements.
Finn hopped out and slapped his hands on his hips, grinning wildly. ‘Oh, this is so cool! But what happens if it rains?’ he asked Sarah, taking a moment to be practical.
‘Retractable roofs and screens. We monitor the weather pretty closely, and if there’s a chance of rain we come down and secure the platforms. Tonight is clear, though,’ Sarah said. ‘Cool, but no rain.’
‘Excellent,’ Finn replied. He turned to look at Callie, who was looking at the tree house in horror. ‘Callie …?’
‘My room is up there?’ she whispered, staring at the huge tree.
Oh, so this wasn’t what she was expecting. Finn hoped that she wouldn’t make a scene—not on their first night. Besides, thousands of people all over the world would give their right arm and a considerable portion of their bank account to sleep under the stars in a luxury tree house on an African game reserve.
‘Problem, honey?’
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sarah stiffening, her welcoming face turning wary. Please don’t turn out to be a city girl diva, Callie, he silently begged her.
‘Look, I think the idea of sleeping in a tree house is seriously wonderful, but—well, this is a game reserve, right? And game reserves have wild animals. And some of those animals—like leopards—like to climb trees! I do not want to be a leopard’s breakfast!’ Callie stated, with a touch of hysteria in her voice.
Sarah bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling. ‘The tree house is completely animal-proof, Mrs Banning.’
Whoah—Mrs Banning. That sounded weird.
But Callie didn’t seem particularly fazed about what she was being called. She was still fixating on ending up on the local leopard’s menu. ‘You’re sure?’
‘Very. We would never put our guests at risk,’ Sarah assured her. ‘Obviously we ask you to confine your movements to the platforms. If you do so, you’ll be absolutely safe. And I’ll leave you with a radio and a mobile phone to call me if there is any problem at all.’
A hyena barked in the distance and Callie jumped.
Sarah looked around. ‘That being said, I’d prefer that we get you into the tree house. It’s not safe to hang around in the bush.’
Callie practically scampered off the seat to stand between Sarah and Finn. Finn took her cold hand in his and linked their fingers together. Sarah walked around to the back of the Land Rover and looked at their pile of luggage. Well, Callie’s pile of luggage. He just had one suitcase.
‘Let me see you inside and then I’ll come back for the luggage.’
Finn shook his head. ‘Nah, I’ll help. Cal, do you need all these suitcases or can you get away with just one?’
Callie pointed to the smaller case and her tote bag. ‘I just need those two.’
Sarah looked relieved as she reached for Callie’s bag.
Finn leaned past her and snagged his suitcase and Callie’s tote bag. ‘I’ve got it,’ he told Sarah, who had started to protest.
‘I’ll store your other bags at the lodge, Mrs Banning.’
Mrs Banning. Still weird.
‘We’ve set out a picnic dinner for you, including some wine and beer. There is also a selection of spirits and mixers. If you are unhappy with our selection please just call Reception and we’ll have someone deliver anything you require,’ Sarah said as she led them to the tree house.
As they walked up the stairs Sarah secured a gate behind them, and Finn could see the unobtrusive but strong netting under the first platform that would prevent leopards or any other creatures from making a nocturnal visit. He pointed out the animal-proofing to Callie and watched her shoulders drop a half-inch. He allowed himself a small grin as Sarah showed them the facilities, which included a shower, his and hers basins, and a slipper bath on the edge of the platform that overlooked the river and the valley below.
The second floor held comfortable couches and chairs, a hammock strung between two branches, and a small dining table covered with cloche dishes and champagne bottles in ice buckets. There was a small chest freezer containing soft drinks and beer, and a steel wine rack holding five bottles of exceptional red wine.
How much did they expect them to drink in one night? Finn wondered.
‘I’ll leave you to explore the bedroom on your own,’ Sarah told him, gesturing to the mobile and the radio on a side table. ‘You’ll hear lions and hyenas, typical bush noises, but do not hesitate to radio or call me if you are uncomfortable or encounter a problem. Nick will collect you at six a.m. for a guided tour—which is a pretty big deal because he rarely does them any more.’
‘Why not?’ Callie asked.
‘Pretty wife in his bed …’ Finn explained, and was enchanted by her blush.
‘Also the fact that he has two kids under the age of three who are up and roaring around at that time,’ Sarah added, before bidding them goodnight and leaving them to their night under the African stars.
Within minutes they heard the Land Rover pulling away and Finn turned to Callie and gestured to the view. ‘So, what do you think?’
‘Pretty shoddy digs …’ Callie
