The women gathered up the bowls and rags and left just as quietly. Gregory disappeared into Maud’s room. For a moment I heard her voice, asking where I was, and his reply, then the door shut.

Abdullah stood in the middle of the room rocking back and forth on his heels, his face turned towards the back of the house.

‘Sit,’ I said, and we both perched on the edge of the sofa. I tried not to think of what was happening in there, all the blood.

‘Drink?’ I asked. ‘I think we need one.’

‘No thank you, Bwana.’

‘I’ll have one, then.’ He stood to fetch it for me, but I waved him down and made my way to the sideboard. My hands shook as I poured out the whisky.

Maud’s cry came from the back of the house, followed by Gregory’s voice, low and muffled. I tossed back my drink and made myself another. I came back to the sofa, shivering.

‘Where are all the totos? They’ve normally lit the fire by now.’

‘I tell them not to come today,’ Abdullah said. He moved to the fireplace and began piling up the logs.

Another cry floated out to us. It seemed to end on a whimper, and I felt my hands ball into fists. ‘I hate the waiting,’ I said, and felt my throat close up around the words.

Abdullah carried on positioning logs, his back stiff.

Gregory came out, wiping his hands on a rag. ‘She’s almost fully dilated,’ he said. ‘It won’t be long now. Good – you’re building a fire. They’ll both need to be kept warm afterwards.’ He didn’t meet my eye, and I stopped him as he turned to go.

‘Will she be alright?’

‘She’ll be fine.’

After that things seemed to happen in a blur. I was dimly aware that Abdullah got the fire going, and began boiling more rags. From time to time the woman in with Gregory and Maud came out with a bowl of bloody water that she tipped away outside. Maud’s voice came through the walls occasionally, and Gregory’s too, then suddenly there was a third, higher-pitched and louder, piercing the air for a few seconds before stopping short.

Gregory appeared again in the doorway. ‘It’s a boy,’ he said, running his hands through his hair. ‘He looks pretty healthy to me.’

I blinked, feeling the shame and relief of the tears building behind my eyelids, and turned my face away. ‘Thank you,’ I said.

Abdullah was standing near the fire. ‘Thank you, Bwana,’ he said.

Gregory wouldn’t look at him. ‘You can go in to see her,’ he said.

I went in first while Abdullah fetched more rags. Maud was propped up in bed holding a bundle in her arms. She smiled when she saw me.

‘He’s beautiful, isn’t he?’ she said.