She was about to flee to the refuge of her room when Lars emerged from the office, taking in Sarah’s angry, tear-streaked face.

‘Sorry to break in on your little chat,’ he said. ‘But Juma says there’s some shauri down at the labour lines. A fight. I think we’d better go down there before things get out of hand.’

Piet left the verandah without a word, and Sarah heard the Land Rover crunching over the loose stones in the driveway, and saw the flicker of headlights in the trees. She thought of unburdening herself to Hannah. But the idea of confiding her foolishness to someone who was so gloriously in love was too painful. She walked rapidly to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. That was it, then. Whatever germ of feeling Piet had for her, she had killed it stone dead. She had gone after him like a harridan, betrayed Camilla in a fit of jealous rage, and made a complete ass of herself into the bargain. With a groan she sank on to her bed, and beat her fists against the pillow in fury at her own stupidity.

Chapter 19

Kenya, November 1965

There was no sign of Piet at the breakfast table. Sarah hoped that he was already out on the farm, and that she would not have to face him. She could not think of anything she might say that would mend the débâcle of the previous night. Lars and Hannah were sitting at opposite ends of the table.

‘Fried eggs, with sausage and bacon, for Memsahib Sarah?’ Mwangi said. He knew her favourites.

‘Just coffee, Mwangi, thank you.’ Sarah forced a smile. ‘With some toast, maybe.’

‘Are you all right, Sarah?’ Hannah was looking at her now. ‘You look pale. Tired, too.’

‘You do look a little rough,’ Lars agreed. ‘But you should eat, you know – it will be a long ride up to Isiolo, especially if it starts raining again. I’m driving to Nanyuki to get supplies, by the way, so I can take you.’

‘Thanks. And I’m fine. Really. I just didn’t sleep too well. What happened on the labour lines last night?’

‘I hope that didn’t keep you awake,’ Hannah said. ‘It was nothing important. It’s all been sorted out.’

‘But there was a fight?’

‘You know how they are,’ Hannah shrugged. ‘Full of superstition. Kamau and David found a dead chicken outside their quarters, with its head cut off and its entrails spread all over the ground. Some sort of spell, they thought. Kamau was really worked up about it.’

‘When Piet and I arrived, everybody was shouting and making wild accusations,’ Lars said. ‘Probably fuelled by a few gallons of some illegal brew. David said Simon had put a curse on his father. Then a fight started. Poor Simon denied everything. But he’s the newcomer, so he was blamed. And David is jealous of him.’