Noel left Nairobi early to prepare The Farm while I stayed on to collect Sylvie after she was discharged. The Matron and I stood over her as she sat on her bed, looking confused. The Matron had to repeat herself several times.

‘Take these pills for the pain, and these ones if you’re feeling sad. Not too many – they’re not sweets, even if they are a pretty colour,’ she said. ‘Are you listening, dear?’

‘Yes,’ Sylvie murmured. She turned her eyes on me. They were even bigger than usual. ‘I just want to sleep forever.’

‘Everyone feels grotty after something like this. You’re just the same as everyone else, remember that.’

She leaned on me as we walked out to the car and fell asleep before we’d reached the outskirts of the city. It was cool outside; I kept the windows rolled up so she wouldn’t catch a chill and drove carefully, avoiding all the holes and bumps in the road. Once, Sylvie murmured something in her sleep, but I couldn’t understand it.

The eland was standing in the pyrethrum by the road when we turned into the drive. He raised his head and stared at us with his cow-like eyes. Sylvie woke with a start.

‘You’re getting so big now, my love,’ she said. He blinked slowly at her.

Noel and the totos were standing in a semi-circle by the front door. I helped Sylvie out and she made a small curtsey.

‘I love you all,’ she called to them. ‘And don’t worry about me – Matron said I’ll be fine.’

Noel came forward to support her on the other side, and we tottered indoors. We laid her down gently in her bed and a toto brought forward a tray of tea and toasted buns and hand-picked flowers.

‘We’ll keep the windows open, darling,’ Noel said. ‘Look at your wonderful garden – that’s a nice view, isn’t it?’

‘Very nice,’ Sylvie said, but she didn’t move her head to look.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

In early May, three months before Maud was due, my mother found me in the Nairobi Club, reading on the sofa by the fireplace.

‘Will you drive me up this weekend?’ she asked. ‘I haven’t seen Maud for such a long time.’

I folded my newspaper. ‘I wasn’t going to go back this weekend.’

‘Please, Theo. Otherwise I’ll have to get Abdullah to pick me up.’

‘Alright,’ I said. She looked as if she was going to sit down next to me, so I stood up.

‘I’ve got a few bits and pieces to go through for work,’ I said. ‘When shall I pick you up?’

‘Three o’clock Friday outside the front here?’

‘That sounds fine.’

I kissed her on the cheek and went upstairs to my room. I dashed off a letter for Maud, letting her know we were coming and when.