‘Fred Patterson. Same as last week and the week before. They have quite a thing going on there. How is everything at Langani? Haven’t seen you around lately. All work and no play, and so on? You need to lighten up, old man. What about some tennis next week?’

Piet steeled himself to finish his beer until a pretty brunette claimed Jamie’s attention, and Piet immediately left the bar in search of Hannah. There was no sign of her in the lounge or on the dance floor, and she was not at any of the tables in the dining area. The rain was pelting down as he made his way through the assortment of vehicles in the car park. He flashed his torch beam around in the downpour until he caught a movement, and then he heard her laugh. Hannah was in the back seat of Fred Patterson’s car, giggling as he tugged at the zipper of her dress, his mouth clamped to hers. Neither of them noticed the beam of light. Piet flung open the car and pulled his sister out into the rain. He could hear her shouting at him, spewing out her rage and humiliation in a flow of words that he had never heard her use before, but he paid no attention. Fred Patterson scrambled awkwardly out of his station wagon and stood with a stupidly vacant expression, unprepared for the fist that landed just beneath his chin and toppled him back into the car.

‘Hey – steady on, old man! I’m not doing anything she didn’t—’

‘You bloody well stay away from my sister,’ Piet spat at him. ‘She’s in my charge, and you’ll answer to me if I ever catch you fooling around with her again. Now get the hell out of my way and look somewhere else for your fun.’

Hannah was in shock as he grabbed her arm and led her to the farm truck. ‘Get in,’ he said, the words coming from between gritted teeth. He pushed her into the passenger seat. ‘We’re going home. Lars will pick up the car in the morning.’

‘You’re an ignorant bully, like Pa,’ she yelled at him. ‘You don’t care about me, any of you – I’m just some baggage you have to protect because I belong to you. And that’s all you know.’ She began to sob, hiding her hands in her face, her wet hair plastered against her head.