We all stood, and I turned to face Lucy, walking towards us. She was wearing a white dress with a cherry-pattern on the body and short sleeves that revealed long, slender arms. She was still blonde, and her hair fell around her face in shiny golden waves. Her eyes were large and clear blue and her lips frosted pink. When she saw me she blushed and stumbled, and I put my arms out to catch her.

‘Thank you,’ she murmured, blushing harder. I released her, noticing how soft her skin was.

‘Lucy, Theo’s agreed to give you a tour of Nairobi,’ Sarah said. ‘Isn’t that nice of him?’

‘Thank you,’ she said again; her voice was breathy. Now she was standing next to me I noticed how clean she smelled: minty, with a hint of roses. I knew my cheeks were as red as hers.

‘I’d be happy to,’ I said again.

Chapter Fourteen

Showing Lucy around Nairobi took up most of my time that wasn’t spent at work. I took her to Mr Sand’s market, for a round of golf at the Muthaiga on Freddie’s membership, and for lunch at the Carlton Grill. I bought us tickets to an opera held among the peacocks in the Jeevanjee Gardens, where we were the youngest couple by at least fifty years. We attended a ball together, Lucy in a cornflower-blue dress that matched her eyes. Other times, we walked the streets and I pointed out notable buildings, or showed her how the post office system worked, and introduced her to everyone at the railway station. Everywhere we went I felt other men’s eyes on us – admiring her, envious of me – and felt a thrill of disbelief at my luck. Other times I couldn’t help wondering how much more envious they would be if it was Sylvie on my arm, but thoughts like that were hopeless; there was no knowing where she was, or when she was coming back.

Lucy’s parents were kind to me; I enjoyed spending time with them, although they were so solidly English, so different from Freddie and the other settlers. I knew the Cartwrights wouldn’t understand Freddie, and I didn’t tell them about my friendship with him. Luckily he seemed to be spending most of his time setting up a yacht club in Naivasha, so I didn’t have to work hard to keep them apart. Sometimes I felt a pang of nostalgia for the old Happy Valley lifestyle. Maybe Freddie would be around more when he was settled in his new position – whatever that turned out to be, I thought – and maybe then he’d bring everyone back together.