69
Thorun whispers ‘bless bless’ as we head off to our canoes, but I don’t bother acknowledging her. She’d played her part beautifully in helping me arrange the twins’ demise, and I’d answered a billion questions and coached her meticulously on what to do in this trial in exchange for her collusion.
She’s on her own now.
Sighing, I step into my canoe and lean down to look at the baby. She’s fast asleep, thank God for small mercies, and not wanting to take any risks with her life, I close the top of the reed basket she’s lying swaddled in and seal it up. Her bottle, kept warm in a tiny flask, I tuck in beside her.
I notice the basket has a rope attached, also made of the same tough green reed the basket has been woven from.
When we reach our destination I know I have to swim supported only by the pool noodle, and I’d imagined I’d push her along in front of me, but the rope gives me the opportunity to tow her at a distance behind, which might be wise if I get attacked.
‘Then again, if someone drowns her, I’m eliminated. Shit.’
Up ahead I watch as Silke’s canoe begins to accelerate.
Scowling, I notice the bachelor has picked up the oars and is doing the rowing rather than allowing the Vietnamese guide assigned to the canoe to do his job.
I can’t help but admire Jaguar’s technique and wish he’d picked me and not Silke to accompany for the first stretch.
Even in this light I can see the muscles on his back tense and relax, tense and relax through the white, cotton, almost see-through shirt he’s wearing.
There had been some speculation on the drive over about just what he might be wearing, given that he might end up swimming tonight.
Several of the women had crossed their fingers that we’d pull up to see him bare-chested and in swimming trunks.
When we’d arrived there was a chorus of disappointed sighs to find him wearing jeans and a shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow.
Just what, if anything, he might have on under those jeans was the subject of whispered conjecture as we’d waited for Starlen to finish droning on.
But while they’d been studying him in detail, I’d been looking at the surrounding mountains.
There’s every chance my father could try to kidnap me again tonight, and every opportunity for his men to hide in this heavily forested landscape.
Now, pulling my eyes away from the bachelor’s back and his almost hypnotic rowing, I look once more to the forested left bank, noting as I do that my roommates have made the decision to work together, despite my advice to Thorun.
Given that she’s a strong swimmer, I’d advised her to make her own way tonight and not to trust Sona.
Shrugging, I look to my right and note one of the twins sipping already from her water bottle.
I bite my lip to contain my grin.