‘You’re right. I’ll go and see if I can help Hannah.’ As she walked down the drive towards the dairy, Hannah rounded the bend in her truck.

‘Hey there!’ Her greeting was light. ‘Do you want to ride back with me to the house?’

‘Piet was going to call on the radio at five,’ Sarah said. ‘I tried him, but there was no answer. There should be someone there, shouldn’t there? Simon or Kipchoge, or the watchman?’

There was no basis for the unease that was rising in her and she gripped the door of the jeep, willing herself to gain control, to stop behaving like a teenager. Hannah took her arm, sensing her concern and surprised by it.

‘Come on, Sarah, man. He’s probably sitting up on his ridge with Kipchoge, spouting his philosophic insights and pining for you. I have a couple of things to drop off in the office, and then we’ll try the radio again. But don’t hold your breath, because half the time that connection doesn’t work properly.’

Back at the house Sarah went into the sitting room and tried to sit calmly as Mwangi lit the fire and offered her tea. It was twenty minutes before Hannah returned from the office and cranked the telephone. The line crackled, but there was still no reply.

‘Shouldn’t someone answer now? It’s already dark.’ Sarah tried to sound reasonable. ‘They must have a problem, don’t you think?’

Hannah’s face was troubled. ‘Anthony, I know this sounds dumb and you might think Sarah’s overreacting, but sometimes, well, she senses things. The watchman should be there now, no matter what Piet is up to. I taught him myself to answer a radio call.’

‘They could have had a breakdown in the Land Rover and need digging out, I suppose,’ Anthony said. ‘I’ll get a couple of your watu and drive up there.’

‘I’m coming with you,’ Sarah said firmly.

‘Me too,’ Hannah said.

‘Anthony, take a gun. Just in case,’ Lottie had appeared in the doorway.

Anthony shrugged and opened the gun case to remove a rifle and a revolver. Now that they were going, Sarah was afraid that she had provoked a wild goose chase. Piet would be furious. But she was grateful that Hannah had taken her seriously. Anthony clearly thought she was crazy, befuddled by pangs of love. But she didn’t care, as long as they were on their way out there.