She could feel the tell tale red rising to her cheeks, and she gathered up her reins and forced herself to laugh. ‘Of course not. I was doing my impression of a seer, looking into your future.’

‘And what did you see?’

‘That you were about to be beaten in a race to that kopje over there, Piet van der Beer.’

She spurred her horse to a mad gallop and sped away from him. He was shouting something after her, but her face still burned from his touch on her skin, and she could hear only the rush of wind and the crazy hammering of her heart. They waited at the kopje for Kipchoge and Simon to catch up with them, drinking from a water bottle that she took from her saddlebag.

‘Here you are,’ she said, smiling and holding it out towards Piet. She wanted him to drink first, so that she could hold the bottle to her own lips afterwards, covering the place from which he had drunk, tasting him in the water. She watched him take several long draughts and then wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. When he gave her back the bottle she let her fingers brush his hand, but he bent to adjust his stirrup, oblivious to her touch.

‘Memsahib Sarah is very fine on the horse.’ Simon had ridden up with Kipchoge.

‘Memsahib Sarah is from a mad tribe called the Irish, Simon. These people are very wild when they are riding horses,’ Piet said, grinning at her. ‘Simon has only started riding since he came to work here. Kipchoge is teaching him. He’s come on pretty damn well, don’t you think?’

‘I have been working hard on the riding of these horses.’ The young Kikuyu smiled, his face lit with pleasure at Piet’s compliment. ‘But I am not yet able to go as you do. Perhaps if there was a lion behind me, I would not mind to go so fast.’

‘You’ve done well,’ Sarah said. She heard Kipchoge make a sound that was clearly not flattering and she turned in the saddle to see him spit and look away. ‘Maybe I can show you how to sit more comfortably on your horse. That will also give you better control,’ she said to Simon.

‘Simon has a great deal of work to do,’ Piet cut in crisply, and the young man immediately fell back a few paces to rejoin Kipchoge.

‘Have I put my foot in it again?’ Sarah asked.

‘No, but you know how Kipchoge is. We’ve been together since we were totos. He can’t understand why I’ve taken on this mission boy who knows nothing, and he’s jealous. Simon has to prove himself, and I don’t want to single him out for any special treatment. Otherwise it will take him even longer to be accepted around here.’

‘And how does he feel about that?’ Sarah asked.