‘We see how awfully the Africans are treated here. We want to help. The question is how?’ She and Stephen had been discussing it ever since they had watched the prisoners file past in Umtali. ‘We have a few ideas, but you know this country better than we do.’

‘Education and training,’ said Mark, ‘That’s the key.’

‘We think so too,’ agreed Stephen.

Mark cleared his throat. ‘Helping the Africans isn’t going to make you popular. Liberalism is a dirty word around here.’

‘Well,’ said Stephen, ‘we’re unpopular already.’

He told them about the anonymous letter. Ginie was badly shaken, but they’d forced themselves to put it from their minds; they should not be intimidated by that sort of thing. They hadn’t heard from the letter writer again. Evidently, it had been the one-off act of a crank. The others looked concerned.

‘Whoever could have written that? It makes me nervous,’ said Diana.

‘It’s an empty threat,’ Stephen replied. ‘Someone trying to scare us.’

‘I hope that’s all it is,’ said Guthrie.

‘More importantly,’ Ginie interrupted, ‘here’s what we have done so far: we’ve cleared a piece of land for a sports ground for our staff and we’re going to build a hall beside it to serve as a home craft industry school for the women. We want to provide sewing machines to help them make their own clothes and blankets, and eventually start selling them.’

‘It’s a start,’ said Stephen. ‘A drop in an ocean, really.’

‘We want to do more,’ said Ginie. ‘We’re concerned that so many young Africans are either unschooled, or are leaving school early, without training and too young to find paid work. For children who can’t make the academic grade, there’s nothing for them to do. We want to change that, but we don’t know how. . .’

Guthrie piped up. ‘May I presume to offer some advice?’

‘Of course,’ replied Stephen, noting that Guthrie was looking better. The food and wine had put colour back in his face.

‘Well,’ said Guthrie leaning back in his chair, ‘If you’ll forgive me, you both sound rather self-righteous, putting the world in order. Be careful in assuming that Africa is yours to fix. It can actually make things worse.’

‘However do you mean?’ Ginie asked, surprised.

‘You don’t want to rob people of their dignity and privacy. And don’t forget that there are a lot of local people who are already working to improve their own situations. I know your intentions are good, and I love you for having them—’ he broke off and gave them a warm smile. ‘It’s just that these good intentions need to be properly thought out, structured, and then offered. Do not assume that you are the solution to all of their problems, nor that they necessarily want your help.’

‘I have an idea,’ Mark said slowly.

‘Tell us,’ encouraged Stephen.