‘All right, then. Hannah, get hot water and look for clean cloths – sheets, towels, anything. We have to get Lars inside, fast. The staff were shut into the kitchen. Sarah, give them some brandy and so. They were tied up in there, with one of the gang standing outside with a panga. And I found Simon. He’d been clobbered and locked in the office. He has a big bump on his head, and some cuts where he broke a window trying to escape. The bastards have taken our cars, loaded up everything from the house. No sign of the dogs. I’m afraid they’ve been poisoned. The truck is still out by the store, so I’m going to send Simon over to the Murrays’ place to get help. And to call Dr Markham from there.’

In the driveway Lars was slumped on the ground. His breathing was erratic and he tried to focus on Hannah and to form a word. She put her shaking fingers to his lips.

‘Shhh. Don’t say anything. You have to keep your energy stored up, heh? Piet’s sending for help. They cut the phone lines, so it will be a while. Can you walk with me, if I help you?’

He nodded and Piet helped her to hoist him on to his feet. Lars grunted with pain, unable to maintain his balance. His shirt had been ripped by the bullet, and blood was seeping from beneath his right shoulder. Hannah prayed that it was not low enough to be a serious injury. They made their way up the steps with maddening slowness. In the sitting room Sarah had several large basins of hot water ready, and a pile of cloths.

‘I’m going to send Mwangi and Kamau to check the rest of the place,’ Piet said. ‘And the labour lines, too. Where’s Camilla?’

‘In the bathroom,’ Sarah answered. ‘She’s got a terrible gash across her forehead. I can’t tell how deep it is, because it’s still bleeding. It will need a good few stitches, I’d say. I told her to put some gauze and cotton wool on it and lie down. She was close to passing out.’

They worked quickly, laying Lars on the sofa, wedging cushions and towels around him. His face was ashen, and his lips had turned a bluish colour.

‘Get scissors,’ Hannah said. ‘We’ll have to cut off his shirt. We need to stop him losing blood. He needs something for shock and pain. Piet, the first-aid kit is in my bathroom. Unless they’ve stolen that as well.’ She began to cut.

‘He’s shivering,’ Piet said. ‘Look, we have to keep him awake. He mustn’t go into shock. There’s an airstrip at the Murrays’. Maybe they can get lights and take him to Nairobi tonight.’