‘Indeed he did.’ She leaned back in her chair to look up at him, making no attempt to disguise her joy at seeing him. ‘What about you? What progress in Nairobi?’

‘Ach, it’s always the same. They make sympathetic noises, but whether their promises will ever come to anything is doubtful. They have finally agreed to send a chap from the Game Department next week, for discussions on patrols. They’ve got no money, they say, and it means weeks of sending reports and letters that nobody reads. It all takes so bloody long, and in the meantime the poachers have free rein.’

‘If the Game Department send someone up here looking around, that in itself might deter the poachers for a while,’ Anthony said. ‘That kind of news spreads fast.’

‘Tired, Piet?’ Hannah passed him the basket of bread.

‘Not too bad. The rain held off and the road was easy. Simon drove on the way back. He’s good behind the wheel now. Did you see Kipchoge?’

‘He was still out on the trail when I was up at the lodge this evening,’ Anthony said. ‘He doesn’t give up easily.’

‘Will you drive up there with me tomorrow, Sarah? So much has been done since you left.’ Piet rubbed his hands together, proud like a child that has completed a difficult task. ‘When do you have to be in Buffalo Springs?’

‘Allie Briggs is coming down to Nanyuki on Monday. She said she’d pick me up at the Silverbeck Hotel, if someone can give me a lift that far. So I’ve time to see everything. Tomorrow would be great.’

‘Good,’ Piet said. ‘Hannah has done wonders, specially with training the staff. We’ll have five-star service out there.’

‘David has turned into an excellent cook,’ Hannah said. ‘You’ll be impressed, Sarah.’

‘That’s right,’ Piet agreed. ‘He couldn’t have run the office, but he has real talent in the kitchen. Kamau is proud as an old peacock. It’s good all round.’

‘He’s pretty good, that David. Heh, Mwangi?’ Hannah looked up and touched the old man’s sleeve. He smiled broadly, pleased at the talk of David’s achievements, ready to report back to Kamau in the kitchen as soon as he had served the pudding.

‘He will be the best mpishi in the region, memsahib. Maybe better than his father.’ He cackled at the idea of Kamau being usurped. ‘He is a good boy, ndio. The young ones will make the future with us. It is Harambee!’

They drifted to the sitting room for coffee, and soon afterwards Lars made his excuses and retired. Hannah, too, rose from her chair, smothering a yawn.