‘When is it not? I don’t believe I’ll notice the difference if we do actually go to war.’

The subject of war continued. At the opening debate of the first Legco session, members discussed frontier raids, air raids and how to prepare for both. ‘Our duty is to provide for our own internal security,’ the paper quoted one member saying. ‘Sufficient in the event of external aggression to hold on until we can be reinforced.’

There were plans to set up a ‘Tanganyika League’ that would oppose the handing over of the territory to Germany. The Legion of Frontiersmen was revived, and Freddie was put in charge of volunteers, uniform design and finance. He set up a rifle club and persuaded me to visit.

‘You’re not a bad shot,’ he said afterwards.

‘A friend at university taught me.’

‘Why don’t you join the Legion?’

‘I promised Maud I wouldn’t. Our uncle died in the war.’

He smiled. ‘Never mind. As long as you’re still willing to help out on the railway issue.’

‘I am.’

‘Good. And how is your rabble-rousing sister?’

‘She’s worrying about the land; the crops are half the height they should be, apparently.’ More than that, a third of the cattle had recently been found killed and picked clean, despite the stockades, and a hippo had blundered out of the lake and attacked the servants’ huts. On top of everything, some of the trees in the orchard were diseased or the soil was poor, and her jam business was struggling.

Freddie shrugged. ‘It happens. Tell her “chin up”.’

After that I didn’t see him for months, until the third Legco session was called in September, when he appeared at the office.

‘As I said,’ he said. ‘We just need your expertise.’

I walked after him into Memorial Hall. The building was two storeys high and made of grey stone with tall windows that somehow let in little light; the inside was muted, green carpet and brown walls. It felt oppressive. There were seventeen other members of Legco gathered around, chatting and laughing, ten Europeans, one Arab, two Africans and four Indians. Freddie seemed to know them all.

‘Nervous?’ he asked me.

‘A little.’

‘Don’t worry – you won’t have to talk much. Just answer a few questions I put to you.’

I sat at the back of the room until the minutes of the previous day had been read, then Freddie called me forwards and introduced me to the assembly.

‘Theo here is the son of the Director of Kenya and Uganda Railways and Harbours,’ he said, ‘as well as having worked himself in the Nairobi office for a few years. I think everyone would agree that Theo knows what he’s talking about, yes?’