Chapters (57)
- Cover
- Half-Title
- Dedication
- Series
- Title
- Part One
- 1 Catherine, 1990s
- 2 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 3 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 4 Stephen, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 5 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 6 Stephen, Rhodesia, 1950s
- Part Two
- 7 The Courtaulds, Courmayeur, 1919
- 8 Ginie, London, 1920s
- 9 Ginie, London, 1920s
- 10 Ginie, Italy, 1910s
- 11 The Courtaulds, London, 1920s
- Part Three
- 12 Stephen, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 13 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 14 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 15 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 16 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 17 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 18 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 19 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- Part Four
- 20 The Courtaulds, London, 1930s
- 21 The Courtaulds, Eltham, 1930s
- 22 The Courtaulds, Eltham, 1940s
- 23 Ginie, Scotland, 1940s
- Part Five
- 24 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 25 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 26 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 27 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 28 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 29 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 30 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 31 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 32 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 33 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 34 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 35 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 36 Stephen, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 37 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 38 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 39 Ginie, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 40 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 41 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 42 Catherine, Rhodesia, 1950s
- 43 The Courtaulds, Rhodesia, 1950s
- Epilogue: Catherine, England, 1990s
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgements
- A Note on the Author
On their way back to the car, they saw Anne Michaels walking towards them. She wore a faded blue and white checked dress and carried heavy shopping baskets; her hair was lank with the heat. Their eyes met and Ginie waved cheerfully. Anne looked down and made her face go blank. Without a word, she spun on her heel and strode off in the direction she had come from. Stephen watched Ginie turn white. Her eyes were hurt and bewildered, the bones of her face jutting sharply through her skin. She was an outcast wherever she went. Anger rose in him; futile, corrosive anger – for despite his love, despite his money, he could not help his wife.
When they got back to La Rochelle, Jongy was sitting in one of the trees at the edge of the uncultivated section of garden they had named ‘the Dell’. He was growing more confident and daring every day; Stephen hoped that the local monkeys were getting used to him and would leave him in peace. Jongy swung down from the tree and scampered across the lawn to greet them. The dogs appeared with wet and muddy coats – they had been swimming in the dam.
They all sat on the veranda. Ginie lifted Jongy onto her lap and he nuzzled into her. A glance told Stephen that the pain of being snubbed by Anne was still raw. Dixon brought out a tray with a jug of chilled lemonade and two tall glasses. The midday shadows were sharp and black, with sunlight splashing gold between the trees. They sipped their drinks and listened to the irregular chik-chik-chik-chik of the insects. Ginie took the letters out of her bag and tore the local one open with her thumb. Drawing out the single white sheet of paper, she began to read. The colour drained from her face. Max put his muzzle on her knee and looked up at her with liquid, anxious eyes. Stephen’s skin prickled.
‘What’s wrong?’
She handed over the letter in silence.
LEAVE THE KAFFIRS ALONE, IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU. IF YOU THINK THAT A PACK OF SAVAGES WOULDN’T SLIT YOUR THROATS ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE’S, THEN YOU’RE FOOLS.
Part Two
PART TWO
7 The Courtaulds, Courmayeur, 1919
7
The Courtaulds, Courmayeur, 1919
Ginie first set eyes on Stephen at a dinner party in Courmayeur, not long after the war had ended.
The evening began badly. The hostess, Rachel Crawford, was wearing an identical gown to Ginie’s; flame coloured and form-hugging. Rachel was a slender Englishwoman with dark red hair and quick green eyes. She was several years younger than her American husband, Dick, who made his money from cars.