Ginie walked slowly up the driveway, drinking in the peace of her garden; she thought it had never looked more beautiful. She passed a group of children kicking a ball around on the football pitch. The sun was low and gold, making long shadows of their bodies. Sophie, Mary’s daughter, was sitting on the ground watching them. She stood up when she saw Ginie and brushed the grass off her dress. Pimples swarmed her face and she had a way of hunching into herself, as if she didn’t want to be noticed.

‘How is everything with you, my dear?’ Ginie asked her.

Sophie shrugged, gnawing on her bottom lip. ‘How’s my mother?’

‘She’s not doing badly,’ Ginie lied. ‘She has an exceptionally strong spirit.’ She was pleased to see her words bring a smile to Sophie’s lips. ‘She sends you all her love, and she asked me to give you this.’ Opening her arms, she enveloped Sophie in a warm hug. The girl felt slight and defenceless in her arms. It broke Ginie’s heart. After a few moments, she released her and they began to talk about the prison visit, with Ginie omitting the distressing details.

Over Sophie’s shoulder, she could see Stephen had come out onto the veranda with the dogs, and when the conversation with Sophie was finished, she went to meet him. Sandra and Max welcomed her with joyous barks, licking her hands and wagging their tails as though she had been away for months instead of a few hours. Stephen was holding a letter in his hands.

There was a lightness in Ginie’s head and a tightening in her belly; a premonition of bad things to come.

‘What’s that?’ she asked tremulously, convinced that their anonymous ill-wisher had sent it. He handed it to her and she read in silence.

It was from Federal Prime Minister, Sir Roy Welensky, and it urged Stephen to accept a British knighthood ‘For work and leadership in the establishment of the Rhodes National Gallery, for an outstanding contribution to the civic life of this community and for wide-ranging philanthropy.’

Ginie sat down heavily. She had been miserable for so long that happiness didn’t come easily. She could feel it slowly spreading through her as she digested the news.

‘It’s your achievement too,’ Stephen said, sitting beside her. ‘You worked every bit as hard as I did.’ He put his hand on hers. ‘Let’s crack open a bottle of champagne tonight.’

She nodded, still dazed. She was cupping the letter in both hands, as though it was a live creature which might try and launch an escape at any moment.