‘Don’t sell yourself short. Maybe you’ll do alright at farming after all.’

‘I have to persuade the bank first,’ she said. ‘They won’t give me a loan for now.’

‘How much are you asking for?’

‘Quite a bit.’

Scotty growled softly and she reached down and put her hand over his mouth. ‘Quiet, you. The ducks have just as much right to be here as we do.’

‘He’s even fatter than before.’

‘Don’t listen to him, darling,’ Maud told Scotty, then looked up at me. ‘You’ll have to get your own dog soon.’

‘Why?’

‘Remember the train from Mombasa – when we first arrived in Kenya?’

‘Yes.’

‘You promised me you’d get a dog when you moved out.’

‘That was only if Mother wouldn’t let you have one here,’ I said. ‘Besides, I’ve practically moved out already.’

‘When you have your own house, then. But it’ll be soon, won’t it?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘That’s what people think.’

‘People think too much about other people’s lives. Are you going to give me some of that cocktail or not?’

She laughed, and poured out two glasses. ‘I like her.’

‘Who?’

‘Lucy.’

‘Me too.’

‘Of course you do. She worships you.’

‘She thinks Mother doesn’t like her though.’

‘No one’s going to be good enough for you in Mother’s eyes,’ Maud said. ‘Lucy’s probably just picking up on that.’

‘I think it’s the other way around.’ I held up my glass. ‘Cheers.’

A car rattled into sight up the drive.

‘It’s Edie,’ Maud said, waving. ‘She must know you’re here.’

We went forwards to meet her. I hadn’t seen her for a few years, but at forty she was almost the same as before, with only a few grey hairs and her neck and hands still unlined. She was barefoot, as she’d been the first time we’d met.

‘Hello, beautiful people,’ she said, hugging us each in turn. ‘I can’t believe how grown up you both look now.’ She stepped back. ‘Especially you, Theo. When did you get back?’

‘A couple of months ago now.’

‘I should have come to see you, but you know how it is. We’re renovating, and I have to be there to supervise the builder otherwise he gets all sorts of ideas in his head.’

‘I’ve been in Nairobi for the most part, anyway. I’ve barely seen Freddie, either.’

‘No one sees Freddie these days. His new wife.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘She put him on a pedestal. How could I compete? My fault for marrying a bloody mummy’s boy, I suppose.’

Her voice was affectionate. I grinned at her and she grinned back.

‘Would you like a drink?’ Maud asked.

‘Actually, I just came to give you the news,’ Edie said. ‘I’m on my way to Nairobi.’

‘Now?’ Maud asked. ‘Is everything alright?’

‘Better than alright.’