‘No. It’s far too late. Mum’s been spending all her time at the hospital and she’ll be catching up on her sleep. She’s been up with him day and night. Look, I’m sure he’ll be OK now.’ Tim stood up and put his arm around his sister. ‘But there’s a problem that they have to face, Sarah. They have to leave Mombasa. Choose somewhere else to live. Dad has been warned. He can’t afford another bout of malaria. Ever again. He wouldn’t make it the next time.’

‘Leave the coast?’ Sarah stared at him, incredulous. ‘But where would they go, for God’s sake? He’d never want to leave Mombasa. He’s turned down all kinds of promotions and offers for years, just to stay there. It’s our home.’

‘They haven’t really discussed it yet. He’ll be too weak for a while to think anything through. But as I understand it, he has to move away from any malarial area. The doctors are adamant about that.’

Sarah sat down, tears forming in her eyes. ‘Are you sure he’s really through it? She’s not keeping anything from us?’

‘No. I don’t think so.’ Tim was rubbing his eyes. ‘They may come back here while he’s on sick leave. To recuperate, and maybe go to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London and the Ministry of Overseas Development to discuss possible postings. Then they’ll be able to decide what their options are.’

‘Oh God. Yes, of course. Options.’ She was still numb with shock.

‘The thing is, I don’t think you’ll be going to Kenya in the summer, Sarah. Because they won’t be there. They may never be there again.’ He saw her jaw tighten and the tears began to spill down her face as she tried to cope with the enormity of it. ‘Sorry, kid. I know how you were looking forward to it.’

Not going to Kenya? Her spirits plummeted. It had been all that had kept her going, the promise of summer with Hannah and Piet, even Camilla. She could not believe that her dream would be snatched from her now. She tried, unsuccessfully, to banish her disappointment. Dad was ill. The important thing, the only thing, was that he should get better. She hugged her brother and put on her coat, stooping to pick up her umbrella.

‘I’m going for a walk,’ she said. ‘It’ll stop me brooding and I’d never get to sleep now, anyway. Don’t wait up.’