Elephant Song - Smith Wilbur - Страница 74
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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, and they went into the mellow lighting and flower's and tinkling piano of the This room.
As the two women studied the menu, Daniel surreptitiously compared one with the other.
The obvious difference between them was size. Bonny was almost six feet tall. Kelly was six inches shorter, and they were different in many other ways, from the colour of their hair and eyes to their skin tones.
However, Daniel sensed that the differences extended far beyond physical characteristics.
Bonny was bold, direct and almost mannish-in her attitude to life.
Even from the earliest days of their relationship, Daniel had detected depths in her which he would rather leave unexplored. On the other hand Kelly Kinnear's manner seemed totally feminine, although he knew from her book that she was determined and fearless. It took a special kind of courage to live alone in the great forests with only the Bambuti for companions.
He also knew from the book that she was intelligent and gentle, that her concern was for the spiritual rather than the material values of life, but in the ballroom at BOSS House he had witnessed a graphic demonstration of her contradictory, aggressive and warlike spirit.
Both women were attractive in totally different ways. Bonny was brazen, she hit you in the eye at fifty paces, a copper-headed Valkyrie. Kelly was shaded with delicate nuances. She was softer and more discreet, with facets that changed when viewed from different angles. In repose her face was almost plain, her nose and mouth austere, but when she smiled her entire face softened.
As he had first noted from the photograph on the dust-jacket of her book, her eyes were her best feature. They were large and dark and expressive.
They could glow with a merry impish light, or burn with a passionate sincerity and intelligence. And something else that the photograph didn't show, Daniel grinned to himself. Her boobs were miniature works of art.
Kelly looked up from the menu and caught the direction of his eyes.
With a moue of disappointment, as though she had expected better of him, she moved the menu slightly to screen her bosom from his appraisal. When are you leaving for Ubomo? We are flying in tomorrow, Bonny answered for him, but Kelly did not acknowledge the interruption.
She directed the next question at Daniel. Have you been in since the coup? No, I was last there four years ago. That was when Victor Omeru was president, Kelly stated. Yes, I met Omeru. I liked him. What happened to him?
I heard that it was a heart attack? Kelly shrugged noncommittally, then changed the subject as the head-waiter came to take their orders.
May I really order a steak, or were you just being cruel? Have the porterhouse, Daniel invited magnanimously. When the food was in front of them Daniel returned to the subject. I heard that you and Omeru got on particularly well together. Who told you that? Kelly looked up sharply, and Daniel caught himself just in time. Tug Harrison was not a name to bandy about in front of this lady. I think I read it in an article somewhere he hedged. It was some time ago. I Oh yes. Kelly gave him release. Probably the Sunday Telegraph.
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