Death in Zanzibar by M. M. Kaye Page A

my actions? Hell! you must have known I was drunk!
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ said Dany, ‘but you see I’d never met anyone who was drunk before. Aunt Harriet, you know,’ she explained kindly.
    â€˜No, I don’t know your Aunt Harriet! But ____ Now listen — you can’t have thought that I was talking sense. You can’t!’
    â€˜I thought you were just — cheerful and optimistic.’
    â€˜Cheerful and optimistic! God Almighty!’ He pushed his chair back violently, and rising from the table began to pace up and down the room like some caged tiger. ‘Look — you must have been able to work it out for yourself. That the whole thing was crazy, I mean. Stark, raving crazy. And that I must have been crazy to suggest it! And anyway, how were you to know that I wasn’t? You didn’t even know me! For all you knew I might have escaped from the local asylum!’
    â€˜But you were a friend of Tyson’s,’ explained Dany patiently. ‘You told me you were. And you were going to stay at Kivulimi — like me.’
    â€˜What’s that got to do with it?’ demanded Lash unfairly. ‘You can’t go two-timing the police and skipping out of the country on a stolen passport — well, a borrowed one, then! — just because I happen to know your step-father. Don’t you understand? It’s illegal! It’s criminal! It’s — it’s — Good grief, it’s sheer, shrieking lunacy! You can probably go to jail for it. And so can I!’
    â€˜Well, after all,’ said Dany, ‘it was your idea.’
    Lash stood stock still and glared at her for a full minute in a silence that was loud with unprintable comment, and then he sat down very suddenly on the sofa and shut his eyes.
    â€˜I give up,’ he said, ‘I am just not strong enough to compete with you — or this situation. And to think,’ he added bitterly, ‘that this was to have been my honeymoon! My romantic, orchids-and-champagne-and-tropical-moonlight honeymoon! Dear God, what have I done to deserve this?’
    â€˜Drunk too much,’ said Dany unkindly.
    Lash opened one inflamed eye and regarded her with strong revulsion. ‘One more crack like that out of you,’ he said dangerously, ‘— just one! and I shall ring up the nearest police station and spill the whole dam’ story, and let them deal with you!’
    â€˜And if you do,’ said Dany sweetly, ‘I shall tell them that you persuaded me into it; and then if anyone goes to jail it will be you. For kidnapping a minor!’
    There was a brief silence.
    â€˜Why you little ____ !’ said Lash very softly.
    Dany rose briskly. ‘I don’t think I know what that means,’ she said, ‘but I can guess. And I’m afraid that calling me names isn’t going to be any help. You got me into this, and you’re going to get me out.’
    â€˜Am I, by God!’
    â€˜Yes, you are! So it’s no use saying “Am I, by God!” Once we’re in Zanzibar, and at Kivulimi, you can wash your hands of me, or tell the police, or do anything else you like. But until then I’m your secretary, Miss Kitchell. And I’m going to go on being Miss Kitchell — or else! Do you see?’
    â€˜O.K. I get it,’ said Lash grimly. ‘All right, Miss Kitchell, you win. And now, as I am not in the habit of sharing a bedroom suite with my secretary, will you kindly get the hell out of here?’
    Dany studied him with a faint smile. He was looking completely exhausted and exceedingly cross, and once again it occurred to her how pleasant it would be if she were able to put her arms about him and kiss away his tiredness and ill-temper. She felt, suddenly, a good deal older than him, and that it was unkind of her to confront him with any more problems. But it couldn’t be helped.
    â€˜I’m afraid,’ she said carefully,