She smiled at him gratefully, then put her hand up to her mouth. ‘But what about Lars?’

‘With the lodge about to open, we’ll need him on the farm. I hope he’ll agree to stay on.’

When they got through, it was Piet who spoke first, recounting the nightmare story of the raid, telling Lottie about Camilla’s face and the shooting and Lars’s injury, and all that had happened since.

‘Thank God you and Hannah weren’t hurt, or Sarah. But Camilla’s face – that poor, poor girl has had so many problems in her short life,’ Lottie said. ‘And Lars, who has done so much for us all. This is a bad time, Piet.’

‘Ma? When are you coming?’ Hannah had snatched the phone from her brother. ‘I can’t wait for you to be here.’

‘Hannah, I can’t come now.’ Lottie could hear the desperation in her daughter’s voice. ‘Your father isn’t well and I can’t leave him.’

‘You mean he’s drunk.’ Hannah felt the bitterness rise into her mouth.

‘I’m sorry, Hannah. He’s trying his best, but it’s difficult here. Kobus needles Pa all the time, and makes things even worse. I can’t leave your father for the moment. Maybe at Christmas time, and then Pa might be ready to come too.’

‘But I need you here now. Aren’t I important too? Or are you always going to make me pay, for running away and leaving you there with him? Please come home, Ma.’

‘Oh Hannah,’ Lotte’s voice carried all her weariness. ‘You have to understand. And for a little while, you’ll have to cope on your own. It’s the way things are sometimes.’

‘But you don’t know what it’s like now, after the robbery. And we have no idea who they were and whether they’ll come back.’

‘I’ll be there as soon as it’s possible. It’s hard for me too, and there are bad things happening in this country. I’m here on my own most of the time and the house is isolated. Believe me, I’d love to be at Langani.’ There was a catch in her voice, almost like a sob. ‘But I’ll be thinking of you every day. You and Piet. I love you both.’

There was a click on the line and she was gone. Hannah stood staring at the phone, disappointment rising in her like gall. A worm of jealousy had lodged itself in her gut. She spun round abruptly and Piet put his arms around her once more, conscious of her despair. He wanted to say something comforting, but her expression made him hold back. For the rest of the afternoon and evening he stayed close to her, postponing anything that had to be done away from the house, accompanying her as she went to the dairy and the stables.