‘How perfectly wonderful. You must tell me about your hat too. The embroidery is so intricate. One could never find anything like that here on the east coast. Or at home. Come and sit beside me here on the sofa, Dr Hayford.’ Marina took his arm. ‘I want to hear all about your life. Not the gory medical part, of course, but your real life. Do you have a wife? Several perhaps, causing you concern and quarrelling over their status? And dozens of children, I imagine?’

‘Oh God!’ Camilla turned away, muttering to Sarah. ‘She’s probably had a few drinks.’

In the kitchen Betty found her staff unsmiling and fidgeting, eyes downcast.

‘Is something the matter? Where’s the tray with the—’

‘Memsahib, we cannot serve the food.’ Moti moved from one large foot to another, acutely uncomfortable.

‘What’s wrong with the food?’ Betty’s heart was hammering.

‘Memsahib, the food is good.’ The cook scratched his greying head. ‘But we cannot serve this black man. It is not right.’

‘What kind of shauri is this?’ Betty felt panic rising. ‘This man comes from another part of Africa, far away He is an important chief, a doctor just like Bwana Mackay.’

‘He is a black man, memsahib. Our friends and families will laugh at us if we serve him.’

‘That’s ridiculous! Dr Hayford is our guest, just like the other guests here.’ Betty glared at the old cook who had served her reliably for fifteen years, but he refused to meet her eye. ‘Very well, Johannes. Is the meat in the oven? Good. We’ll speak about this in the morning. You can all go to your quarters. Memsahib Sarah and I will look after the dinner.’

Betty turned on her heel and left the kitchen. Behind her she heard them murmuring uneasily and then the back door closed. Headlights swept the garden and the steps to the front door.

‘Merciful God!’ Betty murmured. ‘I had a premonition that this evening would be some kind of nightmare. Sarah, a moment please?’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘The staff won’t serve Dr Hayford and I’ve sent them all to their quarters. Don’t stand there gawping, dear. We’ll have to organise the dinner ourselves. Can you get Tim to help, and Camilla too? Start with the canapés – they’re long overdue. As soon as your father has introduced the van der Beers, I’ll disappear to the kitchen. Thank God everything is just about ready.’