‘I’ve found a job in Kenya,’ she told her parents. ‘I’ll be working on an elephant research project, based up around Buffalo Springs. Dan and Allie Briggs are the people running the programme, and they’re willing to take me on as an assistant. I can live in their camp, and they’ll provide meals and transport, and a small salary. I’m going back to live there. In a few weeks.’

‘You can’t be serious!’ Betty was aghast.

Raphael shifted his position on the sofa and cleared his throat noisily, a familiar sign that he was uncomfortable, or trying to avoid a confrontation. He concentrated furiously on filling his pipe, and remained silent.

‘I’m deadly serious.’ Sarah regarded her parents with defiance, her chin set aggressively. ‘The raid was an isolated incident. It’s not something that happens every day. There are more robberies around Dublin these day than there are in Kenya. In any case, I won’t be living in Nairobi or Langani. I’ll be out in the bundu studying elephants as a penniless research student. No one would want to attack me.’ She did not admit that she was constantly reliving the images of that awful night at Langani. Even in Ireland, the dark was no longer a friendly place.

‘I can’t understand why you wouldn’t finish your studies here first.’ Betty stood up and began to pace, plainly agitated in the face of her daughter’s determination. ‘You did splendidly in your exams and you have an offer from the university that most students would eat their hats for. You’d be mad to turn this down, Sarah, with your ability. It’s such a waste. It’s not like you at all.’

‘It’s no stranger than your decision to stay on here. And I haven’t said I’ll never go back to college. I’ve just asked for a leave of absence for a year or so, to get some fieldwork under my belt. In fact, the dean was quite encouraging yesterday, once he had read the material I brought with me. A copy of the study Dan and Allie Briggs are doing.’ She knew this was less than truthful. It had been a stormy meeting, and she had had to fight hard for acceptance of her decision to take time out when her studies were going so well.

‘But surely you could do this kind of fieldwork during university holidays, rather than break up your studies for one opportunity. There’ll be others like it, after you’re qualified. Better ones, even.’ Betty was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her temper.